Multichoice: Court stops planned increase in DStv, GOtv packages

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the stoppage of Multichoice Nigeria Limited’s planned rise in DStv and GOtv subscription costs.

Newstrends reports that Multichoice Nigeria Limited, had last week announced another price increment across its DStv and GOtv packages effective May 1, 2024.

The company attributed the price increases to “rise in the cost of business operations” in Nigeria.

According to the notice signed by Multichoice CEO, John Ugbe, and sent to its subscribers and customers via email last week Wednesday, a copy of which was sighted by our Correspondent, the new prices for DStv packages are Premium package will now cost N37,000 monthly as against the current N29,500 subscription fee.

The price of the Compact+ bouquet has also increased to N25,000 from 19,800 monthly.

DStv said subscribers on its Compact bouquet will now pay N15,700 as against N12,500 they are currently paying, while those on the Confam package are to pay N9,300, compared to N7,400 currently being paid.

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Under the new price regime, viewers on DStv Yanga bouquet will now be paying N5,100 for the monthly subscription, instead of the N4,200 currently being paid.

Emefiele challenges Lagos court jurisdiction to try him

A Lagos High Court has deferred till the end of trial, its ruling on the application filed by the

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has challenged the jurisdiction of the court to try him on abuse of office charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Emefiele through his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said he could not be tried in the high court of any state in Nigeria for alleged abuse of office.

The former CBN governor also noted that counts 1-4 of the 26-count charge filed by the EFCC against him are unconstitutional as they are unknown to any law in Nigeria.

His counsel asked the court to strike out the four counts on the grounds that the court has no jurisdiction to try the offence of abuse of office in relation to the office of the CBN governor.

The EFCC through its counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), however, countered these arguments.

Citing decided cases of the Supreme Court, he asked the trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, not to defer or prevent the trial of the case on the basis of objections challenging the particulars of the counts of the information.

“That approach is intended to take us back to where we are coming from as this were the basis for Section 1 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA and the purpose for which Administration of Criminal Justice Law, ACJL was intended.

“The intention of our collective resolution as a nation was to to prevent undue delay in our criminal cases.

“I urge my lord to refuse this invitation; trial has commenced, this application to prevent the trial today is unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional and I urge the court not to depart from the decision of the apex court as to do so would amount to judicial rascality,” Oyedepo stated.

Seun Kuti retracts allegation on P&ID fraud, tenders apology

Seun Kuti, Afrobeats musician and son of legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has apologised to Bolaji Ayorinde over a defamatory statement he made against the senior lawyer.

In a video posted on social media,  Seun accused of Ayorinde passing information to Process and Industrial Development (P&ID), while representing Nigeria during arbitration proceedings over their disputed gas contract.

The musician boasted that he was ready to meet Ayorinde in court over the controversy surrounding the P&ID gas processing contract case.

Following the development, Ayorinde dragged Seun before Oyo State High Court sitting at Ibadan.

But at the hearing of the suit on April 18, 2024, the parties involved informed the court that they had met and adopted the terms of settlement dated 15/4/2024 and filed the same date.

They urged the court to adopt the terms of settlement as the judgment of the court.

Justice K. Olawoyin adopted the term of settlement as the judgment of the court.

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The court said: “In view of the foregoing and in accordance with the expressed desire of the parties in this suit as confirmed by the respective counsel in court, I hereby enter the foregoing terms of statement as the judgment of the court.”

However, Seun said that the statement he posted on his Instagram Handle @bigbirdkuti on October 31, 2023, against Chief Ayorinde were “not true and unfounded and stand retracted”.

He said “It is not true that the claimant (Chief Ayorinde SAN) leaked confidential documents to the adverse side in the P & ID Vs. Nigeria arbitration matter or in any way conducted himself in any unethical or corrupt manner in his work as legal Practitioner for Nigeria in the said case.

“It is not true that the claimant deliberately planned with the opponent to lose in the P & ID Vs. Nigeria Arbitration Matter and sabotaged the interests of Nigeria in the case.

“It is not true that the claimant committed Treachery against Nigeria in the said P & ID Vs. Nigeria Arbitration Matter.

“It is not true that the claimant charged $197 million for a case in which the claimant intentionally sabotaged his country, Nigeria.

“Having now conceded that my allegations are untrue and unfounded and that I have unjustifiably impeached the character and reputation of Chief Ayorinde, SAN, I hereby publicly recant and retract my aforesaid untrue imputations against Chief Ayorinde, which stood to damage the hard earned good name and good will of Chief Ayorinde’s character.”

Seun Kuti retracts allegation on P&ID fraud, tenders apology