•Seeks coroner’s inquest into deaths

•Says illegal producers, distributors to face full weight of the law

Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, has said the review of the regulatory framework governing the preparation, production, distribution, sale and consumption of locally prepared herbal and alcoholic products in the state is underway.

He disclosed this in Akure on Sunday while responding to the incident involving suspected consumption of harmful alcoholic and herbal concoctions, saying the ongoing review would seek to identify possible gaps in the existing system and determine appropriate legislative, regulatory and administrative measures within the competence of the state.

Ajulo said the government’s responsibility extended beyond determining what happened, stressing the need to establish why the incident occurred, whether it could have been prevented and what should be changed to prevent a recurrence.

"Immediately the matter came to the attention of Government, I formally wrote to the Honourable Chief Judge of Ondo State requesting the constitution of a Coroner’s Court to inquire into the deaths. The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and establish, on the basis of evidence, both the immediate and remote causes of the deaths,” he said.

The Attorney-General said the state’s response would not stop at establishing the circumstances of the deaths, but would also examine the wider regulatory environment surrounding locally prepared herbal and alcoholic products.

"Accordingly, the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice has been reviewing the regulatory framework governing the preparation, production, distribution, sale and consumption of locally prepared herbal and alcoholic products, in consultation with relevant authorities for a time now," the AG said.

He added that where weaknesses or gaps were identified within the state’s area of competence, appropriate legislative, regulatory and administrative measures were being considered.

He said the move to strengthen regulation of the sector had, however, been under consideration even before the recent incident, as a draft of regulations governing the activities of the sector had been proposed and submitted to his office by some stakeholders and concerned citizens.

He noted that among those who had contributed to the earlier proposal was a popular journalist, Mr. Goke Oluwole, who had experience in the regulation of the sector and had brought his expertise to the development of the proposed regulatory framework.

"The process will include accountability. Where the evidence establishes criminal responsibility, the appropriate legal action will be taken in accordance with the Constitution and the law. No one will be shielded from investigation by reason of status, influence or connection and equally, no person will be condemned without due process.

"Our response will therefore rest on three commitments: truth, accountability and prevention. We must establish the truth for the families who mourn. We must ensure accountability where responsibility is established. And we must strengthen our systems so that other families are spared this kind of grief," the Commissioner said.

The Attorney-General said the government remained committed to ensuring that the circumstances surrounding the incident were properly investigated and that any subsequent action was based on evidence and the law. He expressed sympathy to the families who lost loved ones and prayed for strength and comfort for the bereaved, while also wishing those receiving medical treatment a full recovery.

"We owe the departed the truth, the bereaved justice, and the living a safer tomorrow," Ajulo concluded.