FAKE PRODUCT: Man Threatens N50m Suit Against Coca-Cola

A middle-aged man, Mr. Joe Mukoro, who was hospitalised after drinking a plastic bottle of Coca- Cola, allegedly containing some poisonous elements, has threatened to sue the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), makers of Coca-Cola products.Mukoro, a Port Harcourt-based public relations practitioner, said he purchased a pack of six Coke plastic bottles from a supermarket, located along Ada George Road, in the Rivers State capital, on March 31, 2014.On the evening of that fateful day, he drank from one of the plastic bottles, only to be admitted later into
the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), Port Harcourt, as a result of what was diagnosed as food poisoning after consuming the Coca-Cola drink.Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, Mukoro said, “I was devastated to observe that there was some debris still left in the small quantity of Coke which l had not consumed. I was forced to take a second look at the entire pack of Coke which I purchased.“I was shocked to discover that, in yet another bottle of Coke in that pack, there was an object contained therein. I became seriously concerned for my health.”The victim, who said he later started vomiting and stooling, and had to be rushed to the hospital for medical attention, added that, after recuperating, he consulted his lawyers, Chiabu Onuobia and Associates, who wrote to the branch manager of NBC in Port Harcourt.He stated that the branch manager later sent one Mr. Sesan Saliu, the Port Harcourt Quality Assurance Manager, and another person to meet with him where Saliu requested for and was given the bottle still containing some foreign elements.Mukoro stated that upon the inspection of the bottle, the Saliu was said to have confirmed it to be their genuine product and that he did not tamper with it.He alleged that without any empathy over the harm the product had done, the Quality Assurance Manager launched into some technicalities about the handling of the Coca-Cola products and ended up insulting him by telling him that he would be appreciated with a crate of the Coca-Cola products.Speaking to newsmen also, counsel to the victim, Onuobia said Mukoro had a straightforward case, saying, “NBC had shown an absolute sense of irresponsibility with the way and manner they are handling the issue. My client suffered food poisoning after drinking from the Coke product. He was admitted at the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital where he was treated for food poisoning and was discharged and the Quality Assurance Manager admitted to the negligence. We have everything documented.