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Tribunal fixes Sept. 6 for judgment in suit against MultiChoice over tariff hike

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A Competition and Consumer Protection (CCPC) Tribunal sitting in Abuja has fixed Sept. 6 for judgment in a suit filed against MultiChoice, the operator of Govt and DStv, over the recent price hike on their products and subscription rate.

The tribunal, headed by Mr Thomas Okosun, fixed the date on Monday after counsel for the parties presented their arguments for and against the matter.

It was learned that the tribunal had, on June 20, granted Onifade’s reliefs in an application seeking leave to amend his earlier originating summons and deem it to have been properly filed.

The lawyer, in the latest originating summons, is suing the firm, the operators of DStv and Govt, for N10 million damages.

Onifade, in the amended originating summons dated June 17 but filed June 20, also sought the order of the tribunal directing and mandating MultiChoice to adopt a pay-as-you-view model of billing for all its products and services forthwith.

According to reports, the claimants; Onifade, a legal practitioner, and Coalition of Nigeria Consumers, on behalf of himself and others, had sued the company and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) as 1st and 2nd respondents, shortly after the company, on March 22, announced its plan to increase the price of its products from April 1.

They had prayed the tribunal for an order, restraining the firm from increasing its services and other products on April 1, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated and filed on March 30, and the tribunal granted the ex-parte motion, directing parties to maintain status quo ante Bellum.

But despite the tribunal’s order, the company was alleged to have gone ahead with the price increase on DStv and Gotv subscriptions.

And on April 11, the tribunal again ordered MultiChoice to revert to the old prices by maintaining the status quo of its March 30 order, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.

But counsel for MultiChoice, Jamiu Agoro, in a motion in the notice on Thursday, challenged the jurisdiction of the tribunal to hear the matter.

The prayers, according to the lawyer, include “an order for stay of execution of the order of the Honourable Tribunal made on March 30, pending the determination of the instant application; an order setting aside and discharging the order of the CCPT made on March 30 in this present suit.

“An order of the Honourable Tribunal striking out the suit in limine for want of jurisdiction by the tribunal, and for such further order or other orders as this Honourable Tribunal may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”

In his six grounds enumerated, Agoro argued that the tribunal lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit as the claimants lacked the competence to institute the action.

The tribunal then adjourned the matter until today (Monday) to take the substantive suit and the defendants’ responses.

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Police arrest suspected vehicle, motorcycle snatcher in Kaduna

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The Police Command in Kaduna State, said its operatives have arrested a suspect with 30 different fabricated master keys of vehicles and motorcycles in Kaduna.

The command’s spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Kaduna.

Hassan said, “The suspect specialises in vehicle and motorcycle theft .

“In July 20, at about 0230hrs our personnel received a distress call that a shop was burgled.

“Upon receiving the information, our operatives immediately drafted to the area.”

He said on arriving at the scene, that the suspect, Zahradeenee Suleiman was arrested in the shop .

According to him, the suspect is a resident of Galma road, Tsugugi area of Sabon Gari Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State and 35 years old.

“Upon search, about 30 different sizes of keys of vehicle and motorcycles were recovered including two locally fabricated master keys in his possession,” Hassan said.

He added that the suspect was said to have specialised in the theft of vehicles and motorcycles.
Hassan said that the suspect would be charged to Court for prosecution after the completion of investigation.

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Biden condemns Russia’s 16-year sentence for U.S. reporter

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President Joe Biden

U.S. President Joe Biden has sharply criticised the 16-year sentence for U.S reporter Evan Gershkovich, imposed on Friday by a Russian court.

According to the president, Gershkovich was targeted by Russia “because he is a journalist and an American.”

Biden, in a statement released by the White House, said the reporter had “committed no crime.”

He added that the U.S. government will continue to fight for the Wall Street Journal reporter’s release as well as for all U.S. citizens unlawfully detained abroad.

“Journalism is not a crime,” Biden said, adding that both he and the United Nations have said that Russia is wrongfully detaining the reporter.

“We will continue to stand strong for press freedom in Russia and worldwide, and stand against all those who seek to attack the press or target journalists,” the U.S. president added.

(dpa/NAN)

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APC, Police disagree over attack on Okpebholo, Shaibu in Edo

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo Staten has accused the state police command of complicity in the attack on its Governorship Candidate, Sen. Monday Okpebholo and the reinstated deputy governor, Philip Shaibu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that gunmen attacked the two on Thursday while exiting Benin Airport shortly after they arrived from Abuja aboard a chartered flight.

The party, during a press conference on Friday in Benin, called for the sack of the Commissioner of Police, Funso Adegboye.

Kassim Afegbua, Director of Media, APC Campaign Council for the Sept. 21 election, said the ruthless shooting and killing of a policeman was witnessed by the police chief.

Afegbua said the party had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police to look into the case and check how the police commissioner undermined the role of the police.

According to him, some members of the party, who saw the commissioner at the airport shared the intelligence of what was about to happen, but unfortunately, he allegedly ignored it.

The director of media described the attack on the candidate as an assassination attempt as well as a disdain for peace that the state and its people were known for.

Reacting, Adegboye exonerated himself of any wrongdoing during the mayhem.

He refuted a claim that intelligence was shared with him ahead of the attack, saying there was no crisis throughout his stay at the airport.

The commissioner noted, however, that an investigation was ongoing and those whose names had been mentioned in the incident would be arrested soon.

(NAN)

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