LAGOS:
THE Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the remand of two businessmen; Vanger Luper and Bright Ogbuagu, at the correctional centre in Ikoyi for allegedly adulterating automobile engine oil, The Nation Newspaper reports.
They allegedly produced fake Total, Mobil, Forte Oil, A-Z and MMASCO engine lubricants and placed forged labels on them to deceive unsuspecting buyers.
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) arraigned them on five counts of dealing in substandard engine oil and fraudulently claiming they were genuine products.
Prosecuting counsel, Adeleke Olofindare, said Luper, of 27 Bale Street, Onireke, Ojo, and Ogbuagu of 5 Okoye Street, Igbeniri, Ojo, conspired to commit the alleged offence on December 23, 2020, at the United Allied Spare Parts Dealers Association (UASPDA), Trade Fair Complex, on the Lagos Badagry Expressway.
SON said the defendants “did fraudulently inscribe SON mark of quality, certification number and logo on the adulterated/substandard engine oil to deceive innocent consumers.”
The agency said they adulterated 29 cartons of AMMASCO engine oil, 24 cartons Mobil Oil, 18 cartons of Forte Oil, two cartons of Total Oil, two cartons of A-Z Oil (one litre each) and one carton of 4-litre Forte Oil.
Also found on them were 5X25 litres of unbranded engine oil and 18X25 litres of unbranded empty jerry cans.
The alleged offence is punishable under Section 26 (a) and (b) of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Act 2015.
The defendants pleaded not guilty.
