Lukman Olabiyi
The Federal High Court, Lagos, has convicted two businessmen, Uche Johnson and Kingsley Meteke, for producing and distributing substandard engine oil.
Justice Oluremi Oguntoyibo ,convicted them after they pleaded guilty to the offence. She sentenced them to two years imprisonment each.
They admitted to have adulterated 128 drums and 9.45 litres of engine oil.
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) charged them with four counts of production, possession, dealing in and distribution of substandard engine oil. SON said the convicts indulged in production of engine oil which did not meet mandatory industrial standards.
The defendants claimed that the products were good for public consumption and for optimum engine performance, which prosecution said were false.
The products were said to have failed to comply with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria’s (SON) Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP).
According to the prosecution, the offence contravened the provisions of sections 1(8) and 1(8)(II) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 2004.
The convicts had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, but later changed their plea to guilty. The sentence will begin from January 27, 2019 when the defendants were arrested.
Prosecuting Counsel, Mr. Joseph Olofindare said the judgment would serve as a deterrent to manufacturers and importers of substandard products.