Nigerian High Court Grants Bail to Former Pfizer Official on Vaccine Case

The Nigerian High Court in Kano on Wednesday granted bail to a former Pfizer official, Samuel Ohambunwa, who is facing trial over the controversial vaccine test on some children in the state.

Ohambunwa was granted bail in the sum of N5 million (US$38,000) with two sureties, and was ordered to deposit his international passport with the court registrar.

The trial judge, Justice Shehu Atiku, adjourned the case until April 28 for further hearing. The lead prosecution counsel, Alhaji Aliyu Umar, had opposed the bail application made by the accused.

Ohambunwa, the Executive Officer of Neimeth Pharmaceuticals- Nigeria, was arraigned with Segun Dogunro and Lanre Ba’ale, both former Pfizer workers, who had earlier been granted bail by the same court.

They are facing criminal charges of conspiracy, culpable homicide and causing grievous harm.

The prosecution had alleged that the accused conspired with three foreign Pfizer staff to conduct illegal clinical Trovan drug trial which led to the death of some 200 children in 1996 in Kano.

Trovan is a meningitis drug, alleged to have been tested during a triple epidemic of measles, cholera and meningitis, leading to deformities in some children.

At the sitting on Tuesday, Umar informed the court that a meeting was slated for 6 March between the Kano State government and the federal Nigerian Attorney- General.

He said that the meeting was to sort out administrative issues which prevented the Attorney General from effecting the mutual assistance agreement between Nigeria and the United States on the extradition of accused persons.

Umar said that relevant documents were served on the Attorney General, adding that after the meeting, he would forward the appropriate application for the case to move forward.

He noted that Nigeria’s Constitution did not allow trial in absentia.

The lead defence counsel, Mr Anthony Edigbe, however, reminded the court of the Constitution’s position on trial in absentia. He said the first accused, being a corporate body, had not been served with criminal summons.

Edigbe noted that no extradition order was filed or any formal application made for the purpose.

Atiku orderd that a witness summons be served on the witnesses, while all pending applications would be heard on the next adjourned dates.

A civil suit is pending before another court in Kano, in which the state government is demanding US$2.75 billion in compensation for damages caused by the Trovan tragedy.

Source African Press Agency

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