The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has fined prominent Pay-TV operator, Multichoice Nigeria, N150 million for challenging the jurisdiction of a court sitting in Abuja that recently restrained it from increasing the prices of its DStv and GOtv packages.
The verdict delivered by three of the panel led by Thomas Okosu on Friday also ordered Multichoice to give Nigerians a one-month free subscription on DSTV and GOTV.
CKNNews had previously reported that the tribunal had restrained MultiChoice from increasing its subscription rates pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice filed by Barrister Festus Onifade.
Onifade, who sued Multi-Choice Nigeria Ltd, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission
(FCCPC), accused Pay TV of unjustly increasing subscription fees without one-month notice to customers and leveraging on it to seek interim orders against Pay TV.
The Tribunal noted that Multichoice has already disobeyed its interim orders, adding that its action of hiking DSTV and GOTV prices is condemnable and must not be condoned by the Tribunal.
The tribunal dismissed Multichoice’s preliminary objection for disobeying its interim orders.
Subsequently, the Tribunal imposed an administrative penalty on Multichoice for failing to comply with an order of the tribunal
“The first defendant is hereby mandated to pay N150 million penalty.
“Multichoice is hereby ordered to give Nigerians one month free subscription.”