By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Senior Correspondent
The trial of two Chinese suspects, Tao Shen and Jing Yau, who were charged with the importation of sub-standard tyres was stalled on Monday due to absence of interpreter for them.
Consequently, the trial judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, adjourned the matter to July 5 for continuation of trial of the accused persons.
Shen (36) and Yau (22) were docked alongside a Nigerian, Chinedu Madubuike and two companies, Sino Nig. Import and Export Ltd, and Nedeca International Ltd. on four counts bordering on importation of sub-standard products.
They were arraigned on March 20, and each of them had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their plea, the court had granted them bail in the sum of N10 million each with two sureties each in like sum.
The court also ordered the two companies charged to submit a bond in the sum of N10 million.
In the charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offence in February 2017 by conspiring to import tyres which did not meet the relevant Nigeria industrial standard.
They were alleged to have stuffed various sizes of tyres into one, knowing same to be in a dangerous state, or been injurious to human life.
The accused were further alleged to have imported the tyres which did not comply with the mandatory Nigerian standard, on account of their stuffing different sizes into one, thereby making the tyres to be unfit for its purpose.
The tyres were said to have failed to meet the relevant Nigerian industrial standard and likely to endanger human lives.
Besides, the accused were alleged to have failed to furnish returns on the conditions of the imported tyres as required by law.
The offences are said to have contravened the provisions of Sections 320 and 510 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
It is also said to have contravened the provisions of sections 26 and 32 of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria Act, No 14, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
