PSN Condemns Life Sentence For Former National Hospital Chief Pharmacist

The Abuja Chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has described the judgment of life imprisonment handed down to one of its members, Dr. Abubakar Danraka for sodomy by the a Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), high court sitting in Kubwa, Abuja, as a travesty of justice.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons, (NAPTIP), in a statement last month disclosed that the former Chief Pharmacist of the National Hospital, Abuja, was convicted by the court presided by Justice Akanbi-Yusuf, after finding him guilty under Section 1 of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition, (VAPP), Act of 2015.

However, the PSN in a statement signed by its chairman, Pharm. Ifeanyi Ikebudu, rejected the judgement describing Dankara as “one of our finest, a Pharmacist of no mean repute, an astute professional who has carved a niche for himself and the pharmacy profession in everywhere he has worked as testified by his subordinates, peers and superiors.”

The group stated that they had no doubt that the case which broke out in March 2020, was “a case of threat carried too far” and that Danraka will prove his innocence and be vindicated.

“We know that Pharm (Dr) Abubakar Danraka did not commit the offence, we know him to be a man committed to his words and stand always for what is true and just.

“We were aware of the rancour between him and the father of the purported victim, a pharmacy technician at National Hospital, Abuja, where Danraka is still on the nominal roll as an Assistant Director Pharmacist but is currently on secondment to NIPRD in Idu, Abuja.

“The pharmacy technician had threatened to destroy Danraka and this conviction could have been the outcome of a well-executed threat,” the statement said.

It noted that “the investigating police officers did not do a good job of considering Danraka’s alibi of his engagements at the time the crime was purportedly committed.

“We also hold that the judge must have been under tremendous pressure with the involvement of NAPTIP to gloss over the evidence of innocence submitted and to award the maximum sentence possible to a first offender.”

The statement added that the pharmacists will continue to stand by Danraka through his appeal of the judgment until he is unconditionally discharged and acquitted.

“Consequently, we have decided to rally round our colleague, Dr. Abubakar Danraka, in this serious hour of need. We will support him and his family to appeal the judgment with the very strong belief that his innocence will be proven and the judgment be uptumed and Pharm (Dr) Abubakar Danraka will be unconditionally discharged and acquitted,” it said.