Following the directive of Justice Evoh Chukwu of a Federal High Court in Abuja that the managing director of Coca-Cola Nigeria, Adeola Adetunji and the chief executive of Nigerian Bottling Company, Ben Langat, should appear before it, the two helmsmen of the companies yesterday honoured the invitation.
The court had fixed yesterday for ruling to decide the competence and authority of the federal government lawyer, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN) in a criminal suit instituted against Coca-Cola Nigeria, NBC and their Chief Executives.
But, the ruling could not be delivered yesterday as the court registrar informed the lawyer and parties in the matter that the ruling was not ready.
The court later fixed February 3, 2015 for its ruling.
The office of the AGF had instituted two separate criminal suits against Coca-Cola, NBC and their Chief Executives over alleged violation of Consumers Protection Council (CPC) Act.
The defendants are challenging the mandate given to Ojo by the AGF to prosecute them for alleged violation of the CPC Act. They are also challenging the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the charge.
At the last adjourned date, counsel to the accused persons , G. Elias SAN ( Coca-Cola and its Chief Executive) and O. Opesanya SAN (NBC and its Chief Executive) were about to move their application objecting to the suit when the prosecution counsel, informed the court that the accused persons were not present in court.
But the lawyer to the accused persons argued that their clients needed not to be in court since they were challenging the mandate to prosecute the case and the competence of the charge.
Ojo, however told the court that criminal trial could not begin without the presence of the accused.
He also reminded the court that the order to paste the charges on the front wall of the accused offices had been complied with and that the accused ought to be in court.
The CPC is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Coca Cola and its bottler, the Nigerian Bottling Company, over a consumer complaint which bothers on a manufacturing defect on the filling of two cans of Sprite, one of the products of CocaCola.
The CPC slammed N100million fine on both Coca Cola and NBC, a fine which the company is challenging.
The court had fixed yesterday for ruling to decide the competence and authority of the federal government lawyer, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN) in a criminal suit instituted against Coca-Cola Nigeria, NBC and their Chief Executives.
But, the ruling could not be delivered yesterday as the court registrar informed the lawyer and parties in the matter that the ruling was not ready.
The court later fixed February 3, 2015 for its ruling.
The office of the AGF had instituted two separate criminal suits against Coca-Cola, NBC and their Chief Executives over alleged violation of Consumers Protection Council (CPC) Act.
The defendants are challenging the mandate given to Ojo by the AGF to prosecute them for alleged violation of the CPC Act. They are also challenging the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the charge.
At the last adjourned date, counsel to the accused persons , G. Elias SAN ( Coca-Cola and its Chief Executive) and O. Opesanya SAN (NBC and its Chief Executive) were about to move their application objecting to the suit when the prosecution counsel, informed the court that the accused persons were not present in court.
But the lawyer to the accused persons argued that their clients needed not to be in court since they were challenging the mandate to prosecute the case and the competence of the charge.
Ojo, however told the court that criminal trial could not begin without the presence of the accused.
He also reminded the court that the order to paste the charges on the front wall of the accused offices had been complied with and that the accused ought to be in court.
The CPC is currently embroiled in a legal battle with Coca Cola and its bottler, the Nigerian Bottling Company, over a consumer complaint which bothers on a manufacturing defect on the filling of two cans of Sprite, one of the products of CocaCola.
The CPC slammed N100million fine on both Coca Cola and NBC, a fine which the company is challenging.
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