Two Lagos-based legal
practitioners, Oluyinka Oyeniji and Osasuyi Adebayo, have commenced contempt
proceedings against the Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, Mr.
John Ugbe, for allegedly violating a court order.
practitioners, Oluyinka Oyeniji and Osasuyi Adebayo, have commenced contempt
proceedings against the Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, Mr.
John Ugbe, for allegedly violating a court order.
Ugbe, alongside the Public
Relations Manager of the company, Caroline Oghuma, is liable to being jailed if
found guilty of the allegation.
Relations Manager of the company, Caroline Oghuma, is liable to being jailed if
found guilty of the allegation.
The lawyers had, on April 2,
2015, secured a court order of interim injunction restraining MultiChoice from
giving effect to its proposed 20 per cent increment on subscription fee on the
Digital Satellite Television (DStv) being operated by it.
2015, secured a court order of interim injunction restraining MultiChoice from
giving effect to its proposed 20 per cent increment on subscription fee on the
Digital Satellite Television (DStv) being operated by it.
Justice C.J. Aneke of a
Federal High Court in Lagos, who made the interim order, had held that the
order would subsist till the determination of a lawsuit contesting the legality
of MultiChoice’s newly-introduced subscription rates on DStv.
Federal High Court in Lagos, who made the interim order, had held that the
order would subsist till the determination of a lawsuit contesting the legality
of MultiChoice’s newly-introduced subscription rates on DStv.
However, at the resumed
hearing on Thursday, one of the plaintiffs, Oyeniyi, informed the court that in
spite of the court order, MultiChoice had not stopped its new rates, which had
commenced from April 1.
hearing on Thursday, one of the plaintiffs, Oyeniyi, informed the court that in
spite of the court order, MultiChoice had not stopped its new rates, which had
commenced from April 1.
“My Lord, whether wrongly or
rightly, on the 2nd of April, your Lordship made an order that is bound to be
obeyed. We filed a further affidavit citing the defendants for contempt of
court,” Oyeniyi said.
rightly, on the 2nd of April, your Lordship made an order that is bound to be
obeyed. We filed a further affidavit citing the defendants for contempt of
court,” Oyeniyi said.
In their motion on notice,
served on the defendants along with Forms 48 and 49, the lawyers attached as
exhibits copies of receipts issued by MultiChoice to certain subscribers
reflecting payment of the new subscription rate of N13, 980 rather than the old
rate of N11, 650 in spite of the court order.
served on the defendants along with Forms 48 and 49, the lawyers attached as
exhibits copies of receipts issued by MultiChoice to certain subscribers
reflecting payment of the new subscription rate of N13, 980 rather than the old
rate of N11, 650 in spite of the court order.
“It is in the interest of
justice to grant this application and empower the honourable court as the place
of last resort to the plaintiffs in preserving the dignity of the court,” the
plaintiffs pleaded as they urged the court to make an order of committal against
Ugbe and Oghuma.
justice to grant this application and empower the honourable court as the place
of last resort to the plaintiffs in preserving the dignity of the court,” the
plaintiffs pleaded as they urged the court to make an order of committal against
Ugbe and Oghuma.
The other prayer contained
in their motion on notice was for the court to order MultiChoice to make a
refund of all excess charges to all customers who had subscribed to the new
rate in the face of the subsisting court order.
in their motion on notice was for the court to order MultiChoice to make a
refund of all excess charges to all customers who had subscribed to the new
rate in the face of the subsisting court order.
The plaintiffs also asked
for an order mandating MultiChoice to tender a full page public apology in four
national newspapers including The Punch, ThisDay, The Guardian and The Sun, to
all subscribers for violating the court order.
for an order mandating MultiChoice to tender a full page public apology in four
national newspapers including The Punch, ThisDay, The Guardian and The Sun, to
all subscribers for violating the court order.
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