Justice Oluremi Oguntoyibo sitting at the Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday ordered the remand of four men charged with producing adulterated engine oil.
The court ordered that Johnson Uche, Olaide Shittu, Kingsley Meteke and Abdulquadri Olayinka be remanded in prison custody pending their arraignment.
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) said the defendants and others now at large on January 2, 2019 at 2, Esugbayi Street, NPA Quarters, Marine Bridge, Apapa, produced adulterated/sub-standard engine oil for public consumption.
The accused allegedly claimed that the products were genuine engine oil and sold them to unsuspecting motorists.
The prosecution said the engine oil did not comply with mandatory industrial standards, an offence that violated Section 26 of the SON Act 2015.
In the second count, the prosecution said the defendants, on the same day and place, “did indulge in dealing in and offering for sale adulterated/sub-standard engine oil”.
SON said the accused persons claimed that the sub-standard product was genuine, contrary to Section 1 (18) (ii) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act of 2004.
In the third count, the defendants were accused of dealing in 128 drums and 945 litres of sub-standard engine oil, which they claimed to be of high quality to unsuspecting buyers.
In count four, they were alleged to have failed to comply with SON Conformity Assessment Programme by dealing in adulterated engine oil for which they did not have the requisite certification.
The defendants could not be arraigned because their lawyer was absent.
The prosecuting counsel, Adeleke Olofindare from the Federal Ministry of Justice, prayed that they be remanded in prison.
Justice Oguntoyibo ordered their remand and adjourned till March 1, 2019 for arraignment.
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