The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Wednesday arraigned two businessmen – Afam Ike and Steve Onyechi – at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
They were accused of conspiracy to repackage and sell counterfeit X-Pression hair attachments.
The duo were arraigned before Justice Friday Ogazi on charges of repackaging, dealing in and possessing counterfeit products.
Prosecuting counsel, Yusuf Lawan, said the defendants, traders at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, were arrested with a fake ‘Rich Braid’ brand of X-Pression on December 2, 2022.
Yusuf, an Assistant Chief State Counsel in the Federal Ministry of Justice, said the defendants imprinted a false X-Pression (Rich Braid) trademark on the fake attachments.
He said the aim was to deceive buyers into believing that the fake products were genuine.
The alleged offence is contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004 and Sections 1(18)(a)(ii) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 2004.
The prosecution said Ike and Onyechi also violated sections 3(1)(b), 3(2) and 1(1)(a) of the Trade Malpractices (Miscellaneous Offences) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 1(1)(h).
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Yusuf asked for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants at the Correctional Centre.
Defence counsel, Friday Inoegbunan and E. E. Okoli said their clients were served with the charge sheet on Tuesday evening.
They asked for time to file bail applications.
Justice Ogazi ordered the defendants’ remand at the Ikoyi Correction Centre.
He adjourned till Thursday for a hearing of the bail applications.
