Sure Deal boss Prossy Maria Namwanje, has been fined Shs 30m by the Specialised Utilities Wildlife and Standards Court.
Namwanje on Friday pleaded guilty to the charges before Buganda Road Court Grade One Magistrate Marion Mangeni.
She was charged with counts ranging from using the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) Quality Mark without permit, being in possession of commodities that do not conform to compulsory standards.
Upon Ms Namwanje confessing to the charges, Ms Caroline Agonzibwa, the lawyer for UNBS informed court that they agreed to a non-custodial sentence on ground that the convict pays Shs 30m.
“Your Worship, we have entered into a plea-bargaining with the convict. I have consulted the UNBS director and he did not object to the proposal of sh30m fine. I invite the court to accept it,” Agonzibwa submitted.
Consequently, the trial magistrate Ms Mangeni endorsed the agreement between the two parties by fining the convict Shs 30m.
Agonzibwa revealed to court that Namwanje has been selling products that contain hydroquinone in addition to illegal use of UNBS quality mark.
Hydroquinone is a depigmenting agent used to lighten areas of darkened skin such as freckles, age spots, chloasma, and melisma caused by pregnancy, birth control pills, hormone medicine, or injury to the skin. Hydroquinone also inhibits melanin production, which gives colour to skin.
Prosecution contends that on February 2, 2018, in and around Buganda Road on plot 2127, Namwanje sold several brands of the Sure Deal Cosmetics products worth 1595.8 kilograms bearing the UNBS Quality Mark, without the permission of UNBS and on the same date she was in possession of commodities not approved for human usage contravening sections of the UNBS Act.
Under the UNBS Act, no person is allowed to import, distribute, sell or have in his or her possession or control for sale or distribution any commodity for which a compulsory standard specification has been declared.
