Manufacturers of My Pikin get bail
By Nkiru Okoye

A FEDERAL High Court in Lagos yesterday granted bail to the manufacturers of My Pikin teething mixture, which allegedly killed more than 37 children in Nigeria last year.




The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had on March 23, 2009, opposed the bail application filed by the accused persons - Managing Director, Barewa Pharmaceutical Limited, Gbadegesin Okunlola; Adeyemo Abiodun and Egele Austin Eromosele, saying the accused were likely to interfere with the agency's investigations and jump bail if the application was granted.

But in his ruling, the trial judge, Okechukwu Okeke, said the prosecution had failed to prove that the accused persons would jump bail if granted it. He pointed out that the accused persons had regularly made themselves available at NAFDAC office before the start of the trial, stressing that the prosecution had not stated otherwise in its counter-affidavit.

Okeke also said that the prosecution failed to show that the accused persons were likely to interfere with its witnesses and on-going investigations on the matter.

He stressed that the onus to show that the accused persons should not be granted bail rested on the prosecution and that granting bail involved judicial discretion, which must not be exercised indiscriminately but "judicially and judiciously."

Okeke added that all accused persons were presumed innocent until proved guilty.

He granted each accused person bail in the sum of N10 million and a surety who must either produce a certificate of occupancy of any landed property situate at Apapa, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Ikeja, Lekki or Magodo or must be a public servant on at least Grade Level 15 in the federal or Lagos State civil services.

The judge said a letter certifying that the civil servant is a Level 15 officer in the public service should be signed by the Head of Department where he/she is currently serving, stating his/her current status and salary level, and deposited with the court registrar within 48 hours along with tax clearance certificates and two passport photographs of the sureties.

Okeke ruled that the prosecution (NAFDAC) must endorse its confirmation or otherwise of all documents deposited for the bail and adjourned the matter to May 4 and 6, 2009, for continuation of trial.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/apr/1/10.html

If Ibinabo was given 5 years for manslaughter, why cant these guys get 25 years each for genocide?

Ibinabo's was manslauter and not murder, so she got 5 years. Since this guys are muderers i think 25 years will be too short. They should give them 10 years each multiplied by how many people they killed.

10(yrs) x 37(children)= 370years

Theirs was not murder either because it was a mistake.

Mistake?

If that be the case, then 5 x 37=185 (i'm sure they'll be happy with this)

But in his ruling, the trial judge, Okechukwu Okeke, said the prosecution had failed to prove that the accused persons would jump bail if granted it. He pointed out that the accused persons had regularly made themselves available at NAFDAC office before the start of the trial, stressing that the prosecution had not stated otherwise in its counter-affidavit.

This judge don chop bribe. How does he expect the prosecutors to prove that these guys won't skip town?. I am sure they will be chilling somewhere in Accra or UK by now.

Does it matter anymore. They killed over 300 children with that poison. pathetic.