Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada The International Breweries Plc, on Tuesday debunked online report that the company was having problem with its distributors and therefore debited distributors with N50million.
Reacting to the online headline titled “Businessmen accuse International Brewery, SABMILLER Ltd of fraud,” the Corporate Affairs Manager of the company in Ilesa, Osun state, Mrs. Omole Folashade, in a press release made available to Journalists in Osogbo, described the report as “sponsored and one-sided.
The statement explained that there was no “looming war” between the company and its distributors as reported by daily post online.
“There is no looming war between our over 1,200 active distributors and the company. It is untrue that distributors were debited with N50m and we put Mr. Adelabu Ayeni (former policeman) to the strictest proof.
The company also faulted the claims that Ayeni’s product was diverted, saying “the company has an improved distribution process that does not involve salesmen interference.
“Mr. Ayeni/FAIDSAM owed the company an undisputed sum of N27,843,900 and a judgment was delivered in a suit No. HIL/90/2016 by Justice Adekola Lateef Adegoke of an Osun state High Court on January 25, 2017 against Mr. Ayeni to pay the company debts.
The company also denied knowing one of the alleged distributors mentioned in the purported report, saying “the company does not know or have Mr. Tunde Salawu as a distributor.
“We submit that Mr. Adelabu Ayeni (former policeman) has only undertaken a campaign of calumny and the publication is a deliberate attempt to evade his indebtedness to the company.
It however urged its customers to disregard the report, saying “our company conduct its affairs in the best adherence to ethical standards, sanctity of contractual terms and welcome business engagement with persons of integrity.
Reported by Richard Akintade
