Abuja – A DStv subscriber in Nigeria is suing the satellite pay-TV operator MultiChoice for R302 000 (N5 000 000) and demanding an apology after his service was disconnected - even though his account wasn't in arrears.
In a case before the high court in Abuja, DStv subscriber Chuks Udo-Kalu is suing DStv over alleged breach of contract, claiming he was disconnected although his subscription to the pay-TV giant was fully paid up. He submitted payment receipts and his DStv decoder smartcard as evidence.
Udo-Kalu now demands an apology from MultiChoice, as well as exemplary damages.
MultiChoice lawyer fails to appear
"My subscription was still running for more than a month in advance and they disrupted my services. I went in person several times to their offices, they did not do anything about it," he told The Daily Trust.
Udo-Kalu says he wants the high court to declare MultiChoice in breach of contract, to pay over R302 000 in damages, to reconnect him, and to apologise.
"What they posted on my screen was that my account has been suspended. To my mind it's like your banker refusing to pay you when you know you have money in your account."
"I asked my lawyers to write, they wrote, they replied promising to fix it and they did not, so I came to court."
So far MultiChoice Nigeria has not filed any documents and MultiChoice's lawyer also failed to show up on 23 May in court despite agreeing on the court date.
Judge Yusuf Halilu has now postponed the case to 11 June.
Channel 24 asked MultiChoice Africa to comment on the case but by the end of business on Monday there was no response.
* Channel24 and Multichoice are part of Naspers.
In a case before the high court in Abuja, DStv subscriber Chuks Udo-Kalu is suing DStv over alleged breach of contract, claiming he was disconnected although his subscription to the pay-TV giant was fully paid up. He submitted payment receipts and his DStv decoder smartcard as evidence.
Udo-Kalu now demands an apology from MultiChoice, as well as exemplary damages.
MultiChoice lawyer fails to appear
"My subscription was still running for more than a month in advance and they disrupted my services. I went in person several times to their offices, they did not do anything about it," he told The Daily Trust.
Udo-Kalu says he wants the high court to declare MultiChoice in breach of contract, to pay over R302 000 in damages, to reconnect him, and to apologise.
"What they posted on my screen was that my account has been suspended. To my mind it's like your banker refusing to pay you when you know you have money in your account."
"I asked my lawyers to write, they wrote, they replied promising to fix it and they did not, so I came to court."
So far MultiChoice Nigeria has not filed any documents and MultiChoice's lawyer also failed to show up on 23 May in court despite agreeing on the court date.
Judge Yusuf Halilu has now postponed the case to 11 June.
Channel 24 asked MultiChoice Africa to comment on the case but by the end of business on Monday there was no response.
* Channel24 and Multichoice are part of Naspers.