The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has fined Multichoice Nigeria, the owners of DSTV and GoTv services, N150 million on Friday for violating its orders, which barred the pay-TV company from increasing its monthly subscription pending the outcome of the suit before it.
The tribunal also ordered the pay-TV firm to offer its Nigerian clients a one-month free subscription to its DStv and GOtv packages.
Recall that the tribunal had previously ordered Multichoice not to raise its subscription prices without prior notice, following a complaint filed by Festus Onifade, an Abuja-based lawyer, who said the 8-day notice provided for the price hike was insufficient.
Onifade then filed contempt charges against Multichoice for disobeying court orders and implementing its price increase, which was disclosed via email to clients.
On May 7, contempt charges were brought against Mr Mohammed Sani, Manager of Multi-Choice Nigeria Ltd’s Abuja branch.
The contempt charge was based on the company’s disobedience to the court order, and Onifade sought an order from the tribunal directing MultiChoice to pay N1 billion “or any amount the tribunal deemed fit appropriate in this circumstance for the company’s deliberate actions in disobeying, contravening, and failing to comply with the interim order” granted on April 29.
In a Notice of Consequence of Disobedience to Order of Court, Form 48, marked: CCPT/OP/02/2024 dated and filed on May 7, the notice, warned Sani against disregarding the tribunal order.
“Take notice that unless you obey the under-listed order of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, Abuja, given on the 29th day of April 2024, thus: “An order restraining the 1st defendant/respondent either by itself, agents, representatives, officers or privies, howsoever described from carrying out the impending increase in tariffs and cost of its products and services intended to take effect from 1st May 2024, until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed before this tribunal”.
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Multichoice, claimed that prior verdicts had addressed pricing regulatory issues.
Onifade argued that the duration of notice was insufficient and more pressing than the price increase itself, causing the tribunal to affirm its jurisdiction and rule against Multichoice.
The court set July 3 for a hearing in the plaintiff’s substantive lawsuit.
