The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the arraignment of Karl Toriola, chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, and other senior executives, moving the case to October 30.
The adjournment followed the absence of Justice Hauwa Yilwa, the presiding judge, who was unavailable on Thursday due to her participation in another official engagement.
As a result, the matter was shifted to allow the defendants to formally take their pleas at the next sitting.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is prosecuting MTN Nigeria and its executives for allegedly breaching provisions of the FCCPC Act.
Named in the suit are: Karl Toriola (CEO, MTN Nigeria), Tobechukwu Okigbo (Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer), and Ikenna Ikeme (General Manager, Regulatory Affairs).
The three executives, alongside MTN Nigeria, face a two-count charge.
According to court filings, the defendants allegedly failed to provide documents and information requested by the FCCPC through a lawful summons.
The charges, filed on July 22, 2024, under suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/354/2024, stem from a request first issued on May 17, 2024, and reiterated in a follow-up letter on June 5.
At an earlier hearing, FCCPC counsel, Nsitem Chizenum, informed the court that the defendants had yet to be served, alleging attempts to evade service. The court was also told that the Nigeria Police Force had been engaged to secure their appearance.
The arraignment was initially slated for May 28, but none of the accused persons appeared.
In the first count of the charge, the FCCPC alleged that on or about June 18, 2024, the defendants willfully failed to comply with a valid summons requiring them to produce documents and information relevant to an ongoing investigation.
The commission stated this was a violation punishable under Sections 33(3) and 111 of the FCCPC Act, 2018.