Justice Okon Abang on Tuesday awarded N36.53m as damages in against the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN).
Justice Abang who returned to Lagos from the Delta State division of the federal High Court, awarded the damages against PCN for illegally sealing off a pharmaceutical company, Edichart Investments Limited.
Joined as defendants in the suit are: Mrs. G.O. Balogun, Mrs. Adeoye and the Attorney General of Lagos State and Commissioner for Justice.
The PCN Task Force on Counterfeit Processed Food had sealed off Edichart Investments Limited located at 45, Olorunlogbon Street, Antony Village, Lagos for about 317 days between 2010 and 2011.
The PCN claimed that the pharmaceutical company was sited within the proximity of another existing pharmaceutical shop in the area.
The claimant also alleged that the pharmacists’ body failed to register it despite satisfying the conditions for registration.
The judge in his judgement said that the PCN acted outside its power when it raided the claimant’s shop, carted away its drugs and subsequently sealed it off.
The judge said the PCN failed to show that Edichart Investments Limited was sited within 200 metres of another pharmaceutical shop, stressing that the failure of the PCN to issue licence to Edichart Investments Limited was unlawful.
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