Alleged infraction: MTN CEO, others evading court services, says FCCPC
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Mr. Karl Toriola, and others were evading service of court documents on them.
FCCPC, through its lawyer, Nsitem Chizenum, told Justice Hauwa Yilwa at the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FCCPC had, in the charge, dragged the MTN Nigeria Communications Plc; Toriola; Tobechukwu Okigbo, MTN’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer, and Ikenna Ikeme, General Manager, Regulatory Affairs of MTN, to court as the first to fourth defendants.
They were preferred with two counts in the charge, dated July 19, 2024, and filed July 22, 2024 by a team of lawyers, led by Akoji Achimugu.
The defendants would be arraigned for alleged failure to produce documents and information required by the commission in compliance with a lawful summons, contrary to the FCCPC Act.
NAN earlier reported that the matter was fixed for May 28 for the defendants to take their plea.
But when the matter was called yesterday, none of the defendants was in court.
The lawyer who appeared for FCCPC, Chizenum, told the judge that it was obvious the defendants were not in court.
He said on the last adjourned date, the court hinted that it was the duty of the prosecution to bring the defendants to court, hence, efforts were made to produce them in court today.
“We have made several efforts and we equally used the bailiff of this court to serve them but it seems they were evading service my lord,” he said.
Justice Yilwa adjourned the matter till September 25 for arraignment.
