Multichoice Nigeria has challenged the
jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to
adjudicate a suit filed against it over the hike
in the prices of Digital Satellite Television
(DSTV) and GoTV subscriptions.
This was as the plaintiffs filed a contempt
charge against Multichoice directors for
allegedly disobeying a valid court order.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on April 2 granted
an order of interim injunction restraining
Multichoice from enforcing its planned price
increase.
The judge asked parties to maintain status
quo until the suit is determined.
The order reads in part: “That an order of
interim injunction is hereby granted to the
parties to maintain the status quo restraining
the first defendant (Multichoice/DSTV) from
giving effect or enforcing its planned increase
in cost of the different classes of viewing or
programmes bouquet, pending the hearing and
determination of the motion on notice.”
The suit was filed by Mr. Osasuyi Adebayo and
Mr. Oluyinka Oyeniji, a lawyer, on behalf of
themselves and individual/corporate
subscribers of DSTV and distributors.
MultiChoice, owners of DStv and GOtv, had
announced a 20 percent price increase for all
its satellite pay TV bouquets in Nigeria with
effect from April 1.
Thursday, Oyeniji accused Multichoice of
disobeying the order, saying: “The order has
been flouted brazenly.”
But counsel for Multichoice, Mr. Moyosore
Onigbanjo (SAN) said his clients did not obey
the order because it was made after the new
price had gone into effect.
“An injunction cannot be granted in respect of
a completed act,” he said.
“By the time the order was made, the price
increase had been affected. The order was
made on April 2 and we were served on April
8. The price increase took effect from April 1,”
Onigbanjo added.
Besides, he said Multichoice was not bound to
obey the order since it is already challenging
the court’s jurisdiction.
He also pointed out that the order stated that
“status quo” should be maintained; arguing
that status quo as at the time the order was
made meant the new subscription rates, not
the old prices.
But Oyeniji said Multichoice ought to have
obeyed the order because the suit was filed
before April 1.
“The order was made for a continuing action,”
he said.
He also informed the court that he had filed
Form 48 (Notice of consequences of
disobedience to order of court) and Form 49
(Notice to show cause why order of
attachment should not be made).
The applications are seeking to commit
Multichoice Managing Director John Ugbe and
Manager Public Relations Caroline Oghuma to
prison.
The plaintiffs said the two disobeyed the order
requiring them to “refrain from the increase in
tariff pending the determination of the suit.”
However, Onigbanjo said his notice of
preliminary objection supersedes all other
pending applications.
“The court is obligated to determine the issue
of jurisdiction because anything done without
it being resolved first will be a waste of time,”
he said.
Justice Aneke adjourned till May 5 for hearing
of the preliminary objection.

Every organisation now disobeying our courts...so pathetic.

Am not getting this, I need more legal explanation in simple term.

almost every one doesnt believe in the judicature as well as the police authority..little wonder why trial by ordeal still remains in force.

They should resolve the legal issues - secure maybe an injunction that states that court lack jurisdiction on the matter instead of acting with impunity and ignoring a sitting court order.

Iyanga dey sleep, DSTV they go wake am.

can they do this in South Africa? shall I don't blame them they run 24hr service with generators

And a stupid Nigerian SAN is defending them and am sure he uses the same DSTV.

Selling off your own people because of legal fees.

Just negodi
Abeg, they have no excuse. If any Nigerian tried this in their own country, won't they have burnt him to death?
But who blames them? When they are in a system in which anything goes.