SON arraigns businessmen over unfortified sugar sale

Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), has arraigned two traders before Justice Saleh Idrissa of a Federal High Court sitting in Sokoto, over allegation of selling and possession of unfortified sugar.
The defendants, Shittu Abdullahi and Tukur Sabaru were arraigned on a five and six-count charge bordering on sales and possession of 140 and 868 bags of unfortified sugar respectively.
According to the prosecuting counsel, Yusuf Lawal, the alleged offences contravened the provisions of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria Certification Standards of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges when it was read out to them.
Sequel to the no guilty plea, counsel the defendants, Alhaji Maidawa and Jacob Ochidi, asked the trial judge to grant the accused bail.
They premised their application on the ground that the offence they were accused of was bailable.
The trial judge, Justice Idrissa in his ruling, granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N900, 000 with two sureties in like sum each.
The judge added that the accused should be remanded in prison if they failed to meet their bail conditions.
Besides, the court also ruled that the sureties must be a civil servant not below grade level 10 while the other should be a community leader resident in Sokoto.
The case was adjourned till December 7 and 8.