Elder Dr Samuel Amo Tobbin, Group Chairman of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited (TPL), has recounted the harrowing experiences he and his family endured during the company’s dispute with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in 2013.
On September 13, 2013, Elder Dr. Tobbin and Mr Kamath were dramatically intercepted by Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) operatives, now known as the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), over alleged product importation.
They were detained and questioned for nearly a full day without charges being filed. The two were later required to report daily to the NIB office and faced further questioning by National Security. Consequently, his products in hospitals, shops, and those stored in various warehouses were seized and destroyed.
In an interview on The Point of View on Channel One TV with Bernard Avle, Elder Dr Tobbin stated that he and his family were deeply wounded in the process.
He explained that he prioritised reputation management, hence the delay in filing a lawsuit against the FDA until 2019.
“Why do I have to rush to court? You have to repair the damage. I really had very serious damage. In my spirit, my inner man, and my business as well. My family, we were all wounded. It was a serious wound. So, why do I have to go to court to add more injury?
“Let me repair my home, let me put the company in order, when I’m strong and fit, then, I can fight. That is why we waited; we didn’t go to court,” he said.
Elder Tobbin expressed gratitude to God for the company’s resurgence after overcoming the challenges he faced.
“By the grace of God, God helped us to put the company on track again. The staff were all secured, we were able to open other subsidiaries,” he said.
He revealed that their products were duly registered, with the required fees paid, under the leadership of the then-acting FDA CEO.
In a statement released on Sunday, August 11, TPL and its Group Chairman, Elder Dr Tobbin, were exonerated of allegations of importing counterfeit drugs into Ghana.
This ruling, delivered by Her Ladyship Audrey Kocuvie-Tay at the High Court, Accra, on July 29, 2024, contradicts claims made by Dr Opuni. The legal battle began on July 19, 2019, when Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited filed a lawsuit against the FDA, accusing the authority of abusing its statutory powers and duties.
After a decade-long legal struggle, Elder Dr Tobbin has finally been vindicated, with the court ruling in his favour and clearing his name of all allegations.
