Two men, Emeka Daniel, 32, and Ugochukwu Eze, 35, were on Friday arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, for allegedly importing and selling counterfeit condoms.
The defendants, whose addresses were not provided, faced three counts of conspiracy, forgery, and perversion of justice. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, SP Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the offense was committed on June 23 within the Lagos Magisterial District. She alleged that the defendants, alongside others still at large, imported fake Kiss condoms in both small and large sizes into Nigeria and distributed them to unsuspecting buyers.
Ms. Ikhayere further stated that the accused undermined public health by selling the counterfeit condoms, knowing the potential harm they could cause users. Additionally, she accused them of perverting justice by obstructing the arrest of their accomplices involved in the illegal trade.
The charges, she noted, violate Sections 97(1), 362, and 412 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015. Under Section 362, forgery carries a three-year jail term, while Section 97(1) prescribes a two-year imprisonment for perverting justice.
Magistrate Lafeef A. Owolabi granted the defendants bail at ₦500,000 each and ordered them to produce two reliable sureties in the same amount. The case was adjourned until August 21 for further mention.
