Accra Circuit court sentences two over distribution of fake drugs

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced two persons standing trial for illegally selling and distributing unregistered fake diabetes drugs on the internet contrary to Section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 ( Acts 851).

The two, Mary Alemina and George Asante were found guilty of 11 counts and were sentenced to a fine of 9000 penalty units and in default, would serve 15 years imprisonment.

Giving the judgment in Court, on October 30, 2023, Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah, found the two accused persons guilty of the offenses hence, the sentence.

Speaking to the media after the judgement the Chairperson of the International Diabetes Federation for Africa, Mrs, Elizabeth Esi Denyoh, said the sentence was a positive win for all diabetic patients in Ghana.

She dedicated the court victory to all those suffering from diabetes to serve as proof that, there was an association not ready to bend the rules no matter what the situation was.

“We are by this appealing to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) that Diabetes itself is a burden and is a specialist condition and we must scrutinize drugs and medication that come into the country for diabetics because people are dying,” she stated.

On his part, the interim President of the Ghana Diabetes Association, Mr Stephen Quaye Cofie said the judgement was a welcoming news for FDA, Ministry of Health and the Ghana Diabetes Association as these organizations were battling the menace of fake diabetes drugs in the system.

It would be recalled that on November 26, 2021, the President of the Ghana Diabetes Association (complainant) Mrs. Elizabeth Esi Denyoh reported to police that, she had been receiving calls on the Association’s official cell phone number from people requesting a diabetes drug known as ‘insured’ which she knew was not registered by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA).

Mrs. Denyoh informed the police that, she had ordered some of the drugs online and someone was dispatched to deliver it to her at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

The Prosecution revealed that police ambushed and arrested the dispatch rider together with some drugs including the said Insured diabetes drug.

The dispatch rider Ied a team of police Investigators and FDA personnel to the office of accused persons who were selling and distributing the said drug at Ritz junction, Adenta, where the two accused persons were met at the office processing some of the drugs for sale and distribution.

On November 26, 2021, Mary Alemina, a businesswoman and George Asante, a marketer were arrested at Adentan in the Greater Accra Region for the unauthorized sale and unregistered distribution of some drugs purported to be curing diabetes.

The accused persons were therefore charged with 12 counts ranging from conspiracy to commit unauthorised sale and distribution of unregistered drugs: contrary to sections 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (ACT 29) and 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851), unauthorised sales and distribution of unregistered drug: contrary to section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851), unauthorised sale and distribution of unregistered drug: contrary to section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851), unauthorised sale and distribution of unregistered drug: contrary to section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851) and unauthorised sale and distribution of unregistered drug: contrary to section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851).

The rest are unauthourised sale and distribution of unregistered drug: contrary to section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851), unauthourised sale and distribution of unregistered drug: contrary to section 118(3) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851), unauthourised sale and distribution of unregistered drug: contrary to section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851), unauthourised sale and distribution of unregistered drug: contrary to section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851), unauthourised sale and distribution of unregistered drug: contrary to Section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851) and unauthourised sale and distribution of unregistered drug: contrary to Section 118(1) of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851).