Tribunal fines MultiChoice N25m for violating restraining order

The Competition and Consumer Protection (CCPC) Tribunal sitting in Abuja, has slammed a N25 million fine on MultiChoice Nigeria Ltd, the operator of the satellite televisions, DStv and Gotv, for violating its restraining order.

The three-member tribunal, headed by Thomas Okosun in a ruling, held that having been found culpable of breaching its order, the company was liable to pay the penalty.

“The 1st defendant (MultiChoice) is in contempt of this tribunal.

“So we have reviewed the position of Section 51(3) of FCCPC Act, 2018 and in compliance with the provision of Subsection 2 of the same Section 51, we hereby order the 1st defendant, MultiChoice Nigeria Ltd, to pay the sum of N25 million only as an administrative penalty for contempt of this honourable tribunal,” Okosun declared.

Shortly after the ruling, counsel for MultiChoice, Jamiu Agoro, however, pleaded for a date to hear his motion which, he said, was not due for hearing, but the tribunal declined to grant his plea.

“Until we are informed by the registry of your motion and once it is brought to our notice, if it is necessary, it will be heard,” he said.

According to reports, the tribunal had earlier disagreed with MultiChoice over a notice of appeal the company brought to stay execution of the panel’s judgment.

The tribunal rejected the request by counsel for the firm, Jamiu Agoro, to hear his notice of appeal seeking an order of the panel staying execution of its judgment delivered on Tuesday pending the hearing and determination of the appeal before the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

Agoro, upon resumed of the proceedings, had informed that after the company reviewed the tribunal’s judgment delivered, the firm decided to appeal the said decision.

He said two applications were filed and “one is an application seeking for staying of execution.”

He, however, said that though an appeal had been filed, MultiChoice was already taking steps to comply with the judgment, directing its Managing Director, John Ugbe, and directors to appear with the 2021 audited financial report on Sept. 8.

The lawyer explained that there was no management staff of the company in Abuja at present that could have brought the report.

But the tribunal disagreed with Agoro, saying the business of the day was for the company’s management to appear before it with the audited report.

Besides, the panel said there was no motion on appeal before it.

The tribunal then stood down the matter to take its decision.

(NAN)