Arraignment of 2 Chinese: Absence of judge stalls trial

The planned continuation of trial of two Chinese, Tao Shen and Jing Yau, charged with importation of sub-standard tyres could not proceed as slated on Wednesday at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The trial judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun was said to be away on official assignment.

The case is now fixed for November 9 for continuation of trial.

Shen, 36, and Yau, 22, are charged alongside a Nigerian, Chinedu Madubuike and two companies, Sino Nig. Import and export Ltd, and Nedeca International Ltd.

The accused are standing trial on four counts bordering on importation of substandard products.

They were arraigned on March 20, and each had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court had granted them bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum.

In the charge, the accused were said to have committed the offence in February 2017 by conspiring to import tyres which did not meet the relevant Nigeria industrial standard.

They were alleged to have stuffed various sizes of tyres into one, knowing same to be in a dangerous state, or been injurious to human life.

The accused were said to have imported the tyres which did not comply with the mandatory Nigeria standard, on account of their stuffing different sizes into one, thereby making the tyres to be unfit for its purpose.

The tyres were said to have failed to meet the relevant Nigerian industrial standard and likely to endanger human lives.

Again, the accused were alleged to have failed to furnish returns on the conditions of the imported tyres as required by law.

The offences are said to have contravened the provisions of sections 320 and 510 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

It is also said to have contravened the provisions of sections 26 and 32 of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria Act, No 14, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

Peter Fowoyo