Fake eye drop herbalist finally arrested

A Berekum Circuit Court has adjourned to Friday, October 19, the case involving Victor Owusu, 32, a herbalist and owner of Rapid Herbal Centre at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Owusu and Felix Oppong, 22, a salesman of the Center, pleaded not guilty to selling unregistered products including fake eye drops.

The Court had in 2011, granted the accused two GH¢10,000 bail with two sureties and to re-appear on December 8, 2011, but the first accused jumped bail, and the surety Michael Akwah, a trader at Berekum, was remanded into prison custody for two weeks.

The Court on August 2, 2012 acquitted and discharged the surety Akwah, when the first accused appeared in court after being re-arrested from his hideout at a village near Techiman.

Inspector Moses Afari Obiri told the court presided by Mr Isaac Bright Akwantey, that on November 21, 2011 the complainants, Miss Anita Nana Abla Ayayee and Mr Jeremiah Ewudzie-Sampson, officials of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) in Sunyani, lodged a complaint with the Berekum Divisional Police Command that some untested and unregistered herbal capsules and eye drops manufactured by the Centre were on sale at Oppong’s shop in Techiman.

He said Oppong was as a result of that was arrested and whiles in detention, he revealed that Owusu was the manufacturer of the untested products hence his arrest too.

Detective Sergeant Bismark Agyemang Sarpong tendered exhibits when the prosecution closed its case and these included quantities of herbal capsules, eye drops, a torch, a thermometer, cotton wool and some cards.

During cross-examination, the first accused admitted that he had not registered the herbal products with the FDB, but had registered the company with the Registrar-General’s Department.

Source: GNA