Financial Crime News — Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, Thursday struck out the name of Etisalat Nigeria Limited, a Nigerian telecommunications operator, in a suit filed by one of its subscribers who accused the firm of engaging in fraudulent lottery.
The plaintiff, Paschal Ozioko, is seeking an order of court compelling the defendant to publish the names of alleged winners in a lottery in which it seeks to give out monthly, Range Rover Jeeps and a daily sum of N500,000 to participants.
The plaintiff also sought the sum of N100,000 million as damages for misrepresentation on the part of the defendant to its subscribers and other Nigerians, which had caused him a huge financial loss.
Joined in the suit, as defendant is the National Lottery Regulatory Commission.
Justice Yunusa gave the ruling, striking out the name of the defendant following a motion on notice filed by defence counsel, Mr. Ejike Ikejiuba.
Ikejiuba in his motion challenged the propriety of the suit instituted by the plaintiff on the ground that Etisalat Nigeria was a non-juristic person who was incapable to sue or be sued.
Ikejiuba had argued that Etisalat Nigeria was neither the name of a limited liability company nor a natural person.
He argued that by the provisions of the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2004, a party can only be conferred with the status of a juristic person, where it has been issued a certificate of incorporation.- TheGuardian
