By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A business magnate and Managing Director (MD) of Richbon Nigeria Ltd, Cajethan Chike Muonagolu, arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos Nigeria by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) through the Federal Ministry of Justice over adulterated/substandard engine oil has been remanded in prison on the order of court, pending the perfection of his bail terms.
He was arraigned by SON on a four-count charge of dealing in adulterated and substandard engine oil.
He pleaded not guilty after hearing the charges levied against him and the trial judge, Justice Saliu Saidu adjourned till April 11 to hear his bail application.
Arguing the bail application when the case was called on Thursday, defence counsel Goke Olagunlehin, holding the brief of Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms.
While opposing the application for bail, the prosecuting counsel for SON, comprising Messrs Babatunde Alajogun and Adeleke Olofindare, urged the court to refuse the bail application on the ground that Muonagolu allegedly committed another offence while the charge was pending.
Alajogun submitted that the defendant broke and removed SON’s official seal and evacuated 15, 000 cartons of suspected adulterated/substandard engine oil from his company.
The prosecution also told the court that the defendant allegedly assaulted SON officials in the course of their lawful duties.
In his ruling after listening to the submission of counsel to parties, Justice Saidu granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum.
He further said that one of the sureties must be a civil/public servant in not less than Grade Level 15 in the employment of the Federal or Lagos State government.
The other surety must be the defendant’s relation who owns a landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.
Furthermore, the court ordered the sureties to deposit their passport photographs while Muonagolu must deposit his international passport with the court registrar.
Besides, Justice Saidu ruled that the prosecution and the court registrar must verify the sureties’ addresses, adding that Muonagolu should be remanded in prison custody until he perfects his bail conditions.
The court ordered the prosecution and defence counsel to visit the warehouse which was alleged to have been broken by the defendant to ascertain the breaking of the seal or otherwise.
The judge adjourned the matter till May 20 for trial.
Muonagolu and his company allegedly committed the offence last December 12 at ASPAMDA Trade Fair Complex, Lagos Badagry Expressway.
According to SON, they conspired to deal in 15,000 cartons of Prime Plasma, Prime ATF and Stanley brand of engine oil which it said are substandard.
The prosecution averred the defendants claimed that the products were genuine, contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act of 2004.
They also allegedly failed to comply with SON Conformity Assessment Programe (MANCAP) by dealing in engine oil that did not have the requisite MANCAP certification.
The arraignment of the defendant and his company is coming less than a month after SON arraigned four men before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyibo of the same court of same jurisdiction which was reported by TheNiche.
Uche Johnson, Olaide Shittu, Kingsley Meteke and Abdulquadri Olayinka were said to have adulterated 128 drums and 9.45 litres of engine oil.
They allegedly claimed that the products are genuine engine oil and sold them to unsuspecting motorists. Their trial is ongoing.
SON undertook a nationwide raid on suspected adulterated and substandard lubricants in response to consumer complaints about engine failures caused by substandard oil.
The Organisation is also prosecuting other standards infractions relating to adulterated and substandard lubricants across the country.
