By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Justice Nicholaus Oweibo of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, Nigeria has ordered a remand in police custody of a Lagos based businessman, Ifeanyi Okoli, who was alleged to have imported 120,000 brands of substandard electric cables in 13 containers.
The order was made by the judge following Okoli’s arraignment by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on a three-count charge of conspiracy and importation of substandard goods.
Okoli was arraigned along with his outfit Natures Breeze Ltd as co-defendant in the suit marked FHC/1/388/2019.
In the charge, the SON alleged that Okoli, 34, of No 5, Igbeyin-Adun Street, Shibiri, Lagos, and Natures Breeze Ltd of the same address, committed the offence at the latter’s warehouse on or about October 31, 2019.
Prosecution counsel, Babatunde Alajogun submitted that both defendants conspired to import “about 120,000 different brands of substandard electric cables in 13 containers which did not comply with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Mandatory Industrial Standard before importation”.
According to Alajogun, the offence allegedly committed by the defendants contravened Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004.
After listening to the charge preferred against him, Okoli pleaded not guilty to the three counts. He prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him file his bail application. He further prayed the court to remand him in police custody pending a date to hear his bail application.
However, the prosecutor did not oppose Okoli’s prayers.
Justice Oweibo granted the defendant’s prayers and directed him to file his bail application before February 28. He adjourned the matter till February 28 for the hearing of bail application.
Count One of the three-count charge reads: “That you Ifeanyi Okoli, 34 years, of No. 5, Igbeyin-Adun Street, Shibiri, and Nature’s Breeze of No 5, Igbeyin adun Street shibiri on or about 31st day of October, 2019, while at a warehouse at No 5 Igbeyin adun Street, Shibiri, did conspire to ‘commit a felony to wit: imported about 120,000 different brands of substandard electric cables in 13 containers which did not comply with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Mandatory Industrial Standard before importation and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 516, 26(2)(b)(iii) and (3)(a) of the Criminal Code Act CAP C39 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under the same Section.