By Dawda M. Jallow
A Nigerien national was on Tuesday convicted by the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court after he admitted to illegally selling unregistered medical products in Serekunda.
Essaka Ibrahim, who had no legal representation, appeared before Magistrate Binta Sowe and pleaded guilty to a single count of peddling medicines as an itinerant supplier, contrary to Section 59(1) of the Medicines and Related Products Act, 2014.
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector A. Bojang, the convict was arrested on 24 June 2025 during a nationwide operation conducted by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) in collaboration with security forces. The exercise targeted individuals selling or storing pharmaceuticals without authorization.
Chief Inspector Bojang told the court that the task force identified themselves to Ibrahim before conducting a search, which uncovered several unregistered products, including four tubes of “Sex Developer,” seven packets of “Super Power 200,” and a bag containing assorted medicines. He said Ibrahim could not produce any licence or authorisation for selling the products.
The items were seized, documented in a quarantine and seizure form, and signed by both the MCA team leader and the accused. Ibrahim was later taken to a police station where cautionary and voluntary statements were obtained in the presence of an independent witness.
The prosecution applied to tender the statements and seizure documents, which the court admitted as exhibits. The seized pharmaceutical products were also tendered into evidence.
When asked to respond to the facts, Ibrahim confirmed everything narrated by the prosecution. In pleading for leniency, he told the court he was unaware that selling medicines required official documentation. “I am asking the court for forgiveness,” he said.
Delivering her judgment, Magistrate Sowe noted that although Ibrahim was a first-time offender and entered an early guilty plea, earning him a one-third reduction of the sentence, the potential danger posed by the illegal medicines was a significant aggravating factor.
She convicted Ibrahim and sentenced him to a fine of D25,000, in default of payment, to serve one year in prison.
Magistrate Sowe reminded the court that the law provides for penalties of up to D500,000 or five years’ imprisonment for unauthorized medicine peddling, underscoring the seriousness with which the offence is viewed.
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By Dawda M. Jallow A Nigerien national was on Tuesday convicted by the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court after he admitted…
The post Nigerian Man Convicted for Selling Unauthorized Medicines appeared first on .
