A Nigerian Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja has granted an application by a Nigerian, Mr Chianugo Peter, to amend his originating processes filed to seek $150 million in compensation from Google and GoDaddy.com.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu granted the application after lawyer to Google LLC, Oluwaseyi Ogundiran of Aluko & Oyebode Law Firm, did not oppose Peter’s motion filed by his counsel, Emmanuel Ekpenyong of Fred-Young & Evans LP.
Upon resumed hearing, Ekpenyong who appeared with Joel Awoke and Jude Otakpor, informed the court that the suit was for mention.
The lawyer said on the last adjourned date, the matter was adjourned until today for the hearing of plaintiff’s application to amend his originating processes.
He informed the court that the defendants had not filed an opposition to his application dated February 7 but filed February 8.
He applied to move the application subject to the convenience of the court.
Upon the court’s direction, Ekpenyong moved the application to amend his originating processes, including the writ of summons, statement of claim and witness statement on oath.
The judge, who granted the prayers to amend the processes, refused to grant a deeming order of the amended processes already filed and served on the defendants because it was against settled principle of law.
Justice Egwuatu then directed the plaintiff to file its amended originating processes within seven days from the day the order was made and gave seven days to Google to file its amended statement of defence.
The suit was consequently adjourned until June 3 2024 for further mention.
It would be recalled that the lawsuit revolves around the alleged shutdown of Peter’s YouTubeAudio.com domain name after eight years of promotional and marketing efforts.
Peter, through his lawyer, named GoDaddy.Com LLC and Google LLC as the 1st and 2nd defendants in the suit filed on April 14, 2023 with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/238/2023.
But Google, an American multinational technology company, in its statement of defence dated November 9, 2023 and filed November 10, 2023 by its lawyer, Mark Mordi, SAN, urged the court to dismiss Peter’s suit for being unmeritorious and unworthy.
ThisDay