The Accra Circuit Court 6 has set October 30, 2023, to deliver judgment on the case involving two persons accused of unauthorized sale and distribution of unregistered diabetes drugs contrary to Section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (Acts 851).
The court had earlier notified the complainant who is also the President of Ghana Diabetes Association, Mrs. Elizabeth Esi Denyo, for judgment on October 19 but only to appear in court to be told that the accused persons were absent.
It would be recalled that on November 26, 2021, Mary Alemina, a businesswoman and George Asante, a marketer were arrested at Adentan in the Greater Accra Region for unauthorized sale and distribution of some unregistered drugs purported to be the cure for diabetic patients.
The accused persons were therefore charged with 12 counts ranging from conspiracy to commit unauthorized sales and distribution of unregistered drugs contrary to Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960, Act 19 to the last count of unauthorized sale and distribution of unregistered drug contrary to Section 118 (1) of the Public Health Acts 2021, Acts 851.
The facts of the case presented by the Chief Prosecuting Lawyer, (CPL) George Aboraa read that
Mrs. Elizabeth Esi Denyo, President of Ghana Diabetes Association accused Mary Alemina and George Asante of selling unauthorized and distribution of diabetic drugs.
CPL Aboraa said on November 26, the complainant reported the matter to police that, she had been receiving calls on the Association’s official cell phone number from people requesting a diabetes drug known as ‘insumed’ which she knows not to be registered by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA).
Mrs. Denyo informed the police that, she had ordered some of the drugs online and someone had been dispatched to deliver it to her at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
The Prosecution revealed that police laid an ambush and arrested the dispatch rider together with some drugs including the said Insumed diabetes drug.
The dispatch rider Ied a team of police Investigators and FDA personnel to the office of the accused persons in their office at Ritz junction who were processing some of the drugs for sale and distribution.
He continued that, the accused persons were interrogated and upon interrogation, they admitted being the distributors of the drugs but could not produce certificates or any documents to prove registration hence the FDA took custody of the drugs as exhibits and put the office under lock.
He added that an official letter was written by the police to the FDA requesting the registration status of the exhibit drugs, and it came out that, the drugs were not registered with the FDA.
The two accused persons admitted to the offences in their statements and after investigation, they were charged and put before the court.
In court on October 19, the presiding judge adjourned the case to October 30 at 12 noon for judgment.
