DISTURBED by the alleged involvement of two of its
members accused of selling Rohypnol to the suspected killers of Cynthia
Osokogu, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, has petitioned the
Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, to properly review the case to ensure that
pharmacists were not persecuted wrongly.
The accused, Chukwunonso Maduakor and Osita Orji, who
are staff of Oxpharm, were allegedly arrested on August 20 and 21 respectively
after two police officers posed as patients and asked to buy Rohypnol without
prescription. The pharmacists were charged for conspiracy, murder, armed
robbery, rape and administering obnoxious substances on Cynthia Osokogu, who
was killed in July.
Briefing newsmen in Lagos yesterday, the PSN National
President, Mr. Azubike Okwor said the Society had critically appraised all the
issues at stake, noting that although the PSN was not trying to interfere with
the ongoing police investigation, it was advocating that if the suspects were
not found guilty of the crime of rape and armed robbery, they should be handed
over to the Pharmacists’ Council of Nigeria, PCN, for proper discipline for
selling drugs without prescription.
Okwor further advised the relevant authorities on
how best to tackle the matter and ensure that the innocent was not persecuted
albeit unjustly.
He said: “If the liability of the two pharmacists was
limited to the sales or alleged sale of Rohypnol to clients they do not know
and never collaborated in the condemnable crime, then it would be logical
to believe there might have been breaches of professional ethics”.
He added that the law provides that such matters are
dealt with by the pharmacists Council of Nigeria.
“If found guilty only for selling the drug without
prescription should be handed over to the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria,
PCN, for discipline. We have reviewed the cases and we cannot understand why
they are charged.
“If they have sold the drugs without prescription,
there is a procedure already in place that provides how such matters are dealt
with by the PCN.
He further explained that the drug in question was an
intermediate acting Benzodiazapam used in the management of anxiety and sleep
disorders.
The PSN President who regretted the negative perception
of the drug already generated by the incident counselled parents to monitor the
use of internet facilities by youths and children.
Bola Oyawole, a former chairman of the PSN in Lagos
State, urged the Police investigate properly and separate the issues involved.
“If there were professional misconduct, it should be referred to appropriate
quarters.