Chioma Okoli who has been in a long legal battle with the owners of Erisco Foods granted bail recently.
Her lawyer, Inibehe Effiong who made this development known through his official X handle formerly known as Twitter, @InibeheEffiong disclosed that, the conditions for bail include:
1.Bail in the sum of 5 Million.
2.Two sureties in like sum.
3.One of the sureties should be the spouse or blood relatives.
4 Two passport photographs
5.Chioma to deposit her International Passport with the Court (if any).
In furtherance to this development, Consumers are asking whether it’s ideal for a consumer who was arrested for reviewing a product to be given such conditions for a bail?
Delibrating on the issue in Consumers Assembly, a parliamentarian, Jill Okeke said,
“Chioma has the moral, legal rights to voice out her experience after consuming that tomatoes. She has every right to review a product positively and negatively. Infact negative reviews can be used positively by the manufacturer or owner of the product but unfortunately in this case, we are dealing with a “difficult brand handlers here. But they will learn in a hard way.”
According to the Parliamentarian, “I won’t blame the people around the manufacturer because he’s one person who will not listen to good advice but this matter will teach him lessons he will not forget in a hurry.”
On his part, a Parliamentarian, Charles Okonji, posited that,, “she made an unfounded allegation that “Erisco tomato is killing people,” that prompted the legal action that she should provide the evidence of the people killed. She was specific. If she had only stopped at saying, “the tomato contains too much sugar” and cautioned against it, that would have been more honorable.”
According to another Parliamentarian, Chris Agabi, “she’s a victim of a bad system. It’s a wonder journalists didn’t feast on the case. The story fizzled out too quickly. Consumers have the right to tell their experiences with a product, whether good or bad. How a personal experience shared became a problem to Erisco tells of how rascally manufacturers have becomes. FCCPC that prances all over the place didn’t even deem it fit to take over the investigation.”
Responding to Agabi’s position, Jill Okeke said; “yes, you made a point. Why is FCCPC quiete about this matter. Both federal and the state consumer protection council even the independent consumer protection organizations. What are they doing over this matter?”
According to her, ” Initially Irukere started something because I watched a video of Erisco attacking Irukere over this matter. However with Irukere’s exit from FCCPC, the supposedly Consumer protection body went to sleep over this. As journalists we really have to look at this issue more thoroughly after all we are supposed to be the watch dog of the society.”
