Court Strikes Out Suit Challenging DSTV’s New Rates

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday dismissed the suit
filed by some disaffected subscribers challenging the recent 20 per cent
increase in subscription rates of MultiChoice’s DStv platform.

The subscribers, Osasuyi Adebayo and Oluyinka Oyeniji, both
lawyers, had filed the class action suit on behalf of themselves and other DStv
subscribers in the country.

The plaintiffs had sought an order of the court restraining
MultiChoice from effecting the new rates, which began on April 1, 2015.

But in his ruling, the Justice upheld the preliminary
objection filed by MultiChoice and described the suit an abuse of court
process.

The judge rejected the plaintiff’s argument that MultiChoice
did not deserve to be given right of audience, having failed to abide by an
earlier ex parte order of the court restraining the company from implementing
the rates.

Justice Aneke said the court was bound to entertain
arguments from all parties before it, notwithstanding the alleged violation of
the court order.

The court also ruled that the suit disclosed no reasonable
cause of action, given that the plaintiffs were not obliged to remain
MultiChoice subscribers on account of the hike in subscription rates.

Premium Times