Critical documents expose Tobinco, FDA and Akufo-Addo’s Law Firm
Published:
3 months ago
Source:
GhanaWeb
The Herald's continuous investigations into the Accra High Court's order for the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to pay a whopping GH¢94 million to Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Ltd. for the unlawful destruction of unexpired drugs belonging to the company have unearthed more dirt confirming that Tobinco is not deserving of any amount. A crucial document in the custody of The Herald, dated February 6, 2017, had the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the FDA, Delese Darko, insisting that Tobinco's conduct was criminal by the law, specifically the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851, but it remains unclear, why she did not enter the witness box to testify in favour of the authority over the 2013 incident. Mrs Darko's damning letter was in response to one written to her by Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co, the law firm of the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, and dated January 31, 2017, in which Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, was severely condemned for taken action against drugs imported into the country by Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Ltd owned by Samuel Amo Tobin. Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co, through one Alex Mantey Osei, acting as the lawyers of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, resurrected the 4-year standoff between FDA and Tobinco 24 days after the inception of the Akufo-Addo administration, accusing Dr Opuni of savagery and "brute harassment" of Tobinco officers in the "unlawful destruction of its imported medicines."
Tobinco's lawyer in their letter in which they demanded compensation stated that Dr Opuni had "categorically threatened to bring our client's CEO down", and "finish him like Semanhyia", etc.."
However, in her response to the letter, Delese Darko, who, per documents available to The Herald, revealed was the brain behind the 2013 detection of Tobinco's unregistered products, fired back on behalf of the FDA, saying it "denies the allegation contained therein, and would say in response that its actions and activities have not occasioned your client and loss during the period in question".
"The FDA would like to put on record, for the avoidance of doubt, that your client, in blatant disregard of national law, and in particular, the Public Health Act 2012 (Act 851), endangered the health and safety of Ghanaians, and especially, the health of Ghanaians Children, by importing, distributing and offering for sale fake, substandard and unregistered medical products".