He sought “an order of interim injunction of this honourable tribunal restraining the 1st defendant whether by themselves, her privies, assigns by whatsoever name called from going ahead with impending price increase scheduled to take effect from 1st May 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“An order restraining the 1st defendant from taking any step(s) that may negatively affect the rights of the claimant and other consumers in respect of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”
On Monday, April 29, the tribunal issued an order stopping MultiChoice from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services scheduled to take effect from May 1.
The three-member tribunal, presided over by Shafii, gave the order following an ex parte motion moved by Ejiro Awaritoma, counsel for the applicant.
The company was restrained from effecting its planned price hike pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed before it.
However, upon moves by the tribunal to serve Multi-Choice, the bailiff alleged that staff at the Abuja office of the company refused to receive service of the order and other court documents.
The bailiff claimed that one of the company’s top managers at the Abuja office refused to receive the documents and instructed that the documents be sent to the Lagos office, being the headquarters.
Following the bailiff’s feedback, the tribunal issued an order of substituted service on MultiChoice pursuant to Section 48 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018; and Part N, Order 14 Rule 11(1) of the CCPT Rule, 2021.
In the certified true copy of the order of substituted service, the Shaffi-led panel directed that the ex-parte order in suit number: CCPT/OP/2/2024, be pasted at the corporate headquarters or any known address of the branches of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited across Nigeria.
She also ordered that the documents be sent to the company’s “known email address, social media handles and any means of communication publicly known for Multi-Choice and shall also be pasted in the CCPT communication outlet.