By Jerry Uwah
Lagos
Two Lagos-based legal practitioners, Oluyinka Oyeniji and Osasuyi Adebayo, yesterday commenced contempt proceedings against the Managing Director of Multichoice Nigeria Limited, operators of DStv, Mr. John Ugbe, for allegedly disobeying a court order.
The lawyers want Ugbe, alongside the public relations manager of the company, Caroline Oghuma, to be jailed for the alleged offence.
The lawyers had, on April 2, 2015, secured an interim injuction restraining Multichoice from implementing its proposed 20 per cent hike on subscription fee on the Digital Satellite Television (DStv) being operated by it.
Justice C.J. Aneke, 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 order of court, Multichoice had implemented the rate hike on April 1.
But lawyer for Multichoice, Mr. M.J. Onigbanjo (SAN), said the order was wrongly made, adding that his clients could therefore not comply with it.
The plaintiffs in their substantive suit are seeking an order of the court compelling the National Broadcasting Commission to regulate the activities of Multichoice on DStv.
Onigbanjo contended that the applicants lacked the locus standi to institute the action, saying they could not dictate how Multichoice could conduct its business.
The defence counsel also insisted that it was not within the authority of NBC to prevent a company from raising the cost of the services offered to its customers.
Aneke fixed May 5, 2015 for further hearing.