Sunday, 16 April 2023

SON ARRAIGNS SUBSTANDARD ENGINE OIL PRODUCER

SON ARRAIGNS SUBSTANDARD ENGINE OIL  PRODUCER 

By: Bisi Akingbade

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, at the Federal High Court arraigned Mr. Solomon Oyumgbo for producing substandard Engine Oil which has been in circulation for months.


Solomon was arraigned before Justice Abimbola Awogboro  on a four count charge. 

The prosecutor, Mr. Yusuf Lawan, told the Court that the defendant committed the alleged offences on for cloning Harden Engine Oil which has been in circulation for months and suspected to be substandard. 11, 2022, at Aspamda International Trade Fair, Lagos.

Lawan told the Court that the defendant deals in substandard 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 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 offence committed by the defendant are contrary to and punishable under section 26(2) (b)(ii) of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria Act, 2015 and 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, and the Prosecutor asked for a short date for trial, and equally 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 ‘probono’, asked the court for a short date, to enable him file the defendant’s bail application.

The lawyer 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.

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