Court Remands Dealer Over Alleged Adulterated Engine Oil

Court Remands Dealer Over Alleged Adulterated Engine Oil

A man identified as Mr Soldomon Otumgbo was arraigned before a Lagos Federal High Court, for alleged dealing, producing, distributing and selling of adulterated and substandard engine oil. He was arraigned before Justice Abimbola Awogboro led court, on the alleged offences by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) through the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The prosecutor, Mr Yusuf Lawan, a Principal Counsel in the Federal Ministry of Justice, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences on November 11, 2022, at the Aspamda International Trade Fair, Lagos. Lawan told the court that the defendant dealt, sold and in substandard an engine oil named Hardex SN Gold SAE 5W-30, a fully Synthetic Engine Oil which did not conform with the mandatory industrial standard for synthetic lubricating oil for Motor vehicles NIS 1024:2018. He also told the court that the defendant without lawful authority or licence did engage in dealing and selling of Hardex SN Gold SAE 5W-30 Fully Synthetic Engine Oil.

He told the court that the offences committed by the defendant are contrary to and punishable under section 26(2)(b)(ii) of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Act, 2015. He also said the offences contravened Sections 1(18)(a)(ii); 1(48)(a)(ii) and 1(17) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and punishable under the same Act.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the offences.  Upon his not-guilty plea, the prosecutor asked for a short trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), till the determination of the charges.  However, Barrister Onah Chinedu, who represented the defendant pro bono, asked the court for a short date, to enable him to file the defendant’s bail application. Chinedu also pleaded with the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID), Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos, till the hearing and determination of the bail application.

In her bench ruling, Justice Awogboro ordered that the defendant be remanded in Force CID’s custody and adjourned the matter till May 5, 2023, for a hearing of his bail application.