The last may not have been heard about the case brought against Barewa Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, makers of My Pikin teething syrup touted to be a killer teething syrup, as a Federal High Court in Lagos granted the case an accelerated hearing.
The trial which was fixed for 19 March for continuation could not go on due to the absence of the trial judge, Justice Okechukwu Okeke, as he was away at Abuja to attend a conference.
The case was subsequently adjourned to April 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 for continuation of the trial.
The company, Barewa Pharmaceutical Company Ltd was charged alongside two of its employees, Ebele Eromosele and Adeyemo Abiodun, on a six-count charge bordering on the alleged offence and they were re-arraigned in January the 7th due to the amendment of the charge before the court, in which the name of the company’s alter ego, Kola Gbadegeshin (now deceased) had been struck out.
The prosecutor had said that the offences contravened Section 1 (a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous provisions) Act No. 25 of 1999 and punishable under section 3 of the same Act.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bail by the court afterwards.
The prosecutor, Aminu Alilu had informed the court that the second accused Mr Eromosele had been appointed by the defence, to stand in place of the company, since the first accused was now deceased.
Justice Okeke therefore struck out the former charge reflecting the name of the deceased and the remaining accused were arraigned on the amended charge.
He also allowed the accused persons to continue with their former bail condition.
“My Pikin” teething syrup was alleged to have killed about 80 children in the country.