The Federal High Court, Lagos has heard how 147 cartons of NSNOWS Gas Refrigerants with cloned Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) logos were allegedly discovered in the possession of the Managing Director of Agastorm Ltd, Nonso Udoye.A prosecution witness, Aladesuyi Oluwadare, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), told Justice Saliu Saidu that a SON patrol team found the products in Agastrom’s warehouse at Ebute-Meta, Lagos.
Udoye, is standing trial on a 15-count charge of forgery and counterfeiting, following his arraignment by SON on February 25.
The defendant has been on remand following his inability to perfect his bail terms.
Oluwadare, who was led in examination-in-chief by SON’s counsel, Amaka Allen-Ngbale testified that he was part of a five-man team that investigated the case, following a petition by SON Director-General to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
Oluwadare said: “It was stated in the petition that on December 7, 2017, during a patrol by a SON patrol unit, they intercepted a warehouse at No. 137, Bornu Street, Ebute-Meta, belonging to the defendant. On inspection of the goods inside the warehouse, they discovered cartons of NSNOWS Gas Refrigerants and cylinders with unauthorised SON seal. So they locked up the warehouse.”
He told the court that following Udoye’s arrest, the businessman took the police investigative team to another warehouse, “where another product, Chap Gas Refrigerant Cylinder, was discovered.”
The witness testified that SON told the police team that it did not authorise the use of its seal on the products.”
According to the charge, Udoye allegedly “made an impression of a production registration counterfeit seal knowing the seal to be counterfeit of the SON on 147 cartons of NSNOWS Gas Refrigerants of 12 cylinders each stored at the warehouse.
The court also heard that he imported “1441 cartons of Regfrigerant Gas that did not comply with any industrial standard”, among others.”
The alleged offences contravened sections 465, 467, 467(4)(v) and 468 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004 and sections 26(2)(b) and 26(2)(b)(iii) of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria Act, 2015.
Following a brief cross-examination by defence counsel Emmanuel Okoroafor, Justice Saidu adjourned till May 18 for continuation of trial.
In this article:
Udoye, is standing trial on a 15-count charge of forgery and counterfeiting, following his arraignment by SON on February 25.
The defendant has been on remand following his inability to perfect his bail terms.
Oluwadare, who was led in examination-in-chief by SON’s counsel, Amaka Allen-Ngbale testified that he was part of a five-man team that investigated the case, following a petition by SON Director-General to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
Oluwadare said: “It was stated in the petition that on December 7, 2017, during a patrol by a SON patrol unit, they intercepted a warehouse at No. 137, Bornu Street, Ebute-Meta, belonging to the defendant. On inspection of the goods inside the warehouse, they discovered cartons of NSNOWS Gas Refrigerants and cylinders with unauthorised SON seal. So they locked up the warehouse.”
He told the court that following Udoye’s arrest, the businessman took the police investigative team to another warehouse, “where another product, Chap Gas Refrigerant Cylinder, was discovered.”
The witness testified that SON told the police team that it did not authorise the use of its seal on the products.”
According to the charge, Udoye allegedly “made an impression of a production registration counterfeit seal knowing the seal to be counterfeit of the SON on 147 cartons of NSNOWS Gas Refrigerants of 12 cylinders each stored at the warehouse.
The court also heard that he imported “1441 cartons of Regfrigerant Gas that did not comply with any industrial standard”, among others.”
The alleged offences contravened sections 465, 467, 467(4)(v) and 468 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004 and sections 26(2)(b) and 26(2)(b)(iii) of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria Act, 2015.
Following a brief cross-examination by defence counsel Emmanuel Okoroafor, Justice Saidu adjourned till May 18 for continuation of trial.
In this article: