Two businessmen, Afam and Onyechi Izuchukwu Steve, have been arraigned before a Lagos Federal High Court on alleged conspiracy and counterfeiting of X-pression hair extensions (attachment).
The two businessmen are also slammed with offences bordering on alleged repackaging, dealing and possession of the said counterfeit hair attachment.
The two men were arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Friday Ogazi on the charges.
Arraigning the two defendants who are traders at the popular Balogun market, Lagos Island, Lagos, the prosecutor, Barrister Yusuf Lawan, informed the court that they were arrested with the counterfeited ‘Rich Braid’, a brand of X-pression hair attachment, at the market on December 2, 2022.
Yusuf, an Assistant Chief State counsel, Federal Ministry Of Justice, also the court that the two businessmen, imprinted ‘false’ trademark to X-pression hair attachment (Rich Braid) to the counterfeited hair attachment, the action which was calculated to deceive the buyers that they are genuine X-pression hair attachment.
The prosecutor informed the court that the illegal acts of the two businessmen is misleading or likely to create a wrong impression as to its character and composition of the X-pression hair attachment.
He informed the court that their actions contravened section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, cap C39 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Sections 1(18)(a)(ii) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
He also informed the court that the businessmen’s acts contrary to sections 3(1)(b): 3(2) and 1(1)(a) of the Trade Malpractices (Miscellaneous Offences) Act, Cap T12 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under section 1(1)(h) of the same law.
The two defendants denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their plea, the prosecutor asked for a trial date, as well urged the court to remand them in Correctional Center, till the determination of the charges against them.
However, their lawyers; Friday Inoegbunan and E. E. Okoli, informed the court that their clients were served with the copy of the charge sheet on Tuesday’s evening, hence they were unable to file their bail applications.
The lawyers pleaded with the court for a very short date, to enable them to file their clients’ bail applications. The lawyer particularly, pleaded with the court to adjourn till Thursday, for hearing of their clients’ bail applications.
Based on the lawyer’s request, Justice Ogazi, adjourned the matter till Thursday, for hearing the defendants’ bail application. While also ordered that the two businessmen be remanded at the Ikoyi Center of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS).
