Businessman remanded for ‘selling adulterated engine oil’

A federal high court in Lagos has remanded Ibegbu Anayo, a businessman, for allegedly selling adulterated engine oil.

Anayo was arraigned on Thursday by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)  before  Rilwan Aikawa, a federal high court judge, on a 12-count charge of producing substandard engine oil after rebranding them.

He was accused of producing (without a lawful licence) locally made engine oil and pouring them into various kegs of different sizes which he then labelled as Total, Mobil, Naris Gold and other brands.

The adulterated oil “which are not of the quality, nature and efficacy expected of the products” were sold to unsuspecting customers.

According to SON, Anayo and others (at large) “did indulge in the production of adulterated/substandard Total and Mobil engine oil lubricants for public consumption” on July 15, 2020, at Mammy Market, Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos state.

SON said the defendant did not comply with the mandatory industrial standards for lubricants as well as the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) for locally manufactured products, an offence punishable under Section 26(2) of the SON Act, 2015.

Count nine of the charge reads “that you Ibegbu Anayo and others now at large on or about 15th July 2020 at Mammy Market, Navy town, Ojo within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did apply false trade descriptions of ‘Total and Mobil’ on various kegs of different sizes and unbranded cartons knowing them to be false, with intent that they may be used or acted upon as genuine.”

Yusuf Lawan, the prosecuting counsel, said the alleged offence contravenes section 465 of the Criminal Code Act of 2004 and punishable under section 467.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

The judge ordered his remand in police custody pending the hearing of his bail application on Tuesday.