The Effurun-based Delta State High Court has rejected a request by Nigerian singer David Adeleke, known as Davido, to halt proceedings in the N2 billion lawsuit brought against him.
Brownhill Investment Company Limited had sued Davido over the annual ‘Warri Again Concert’ in which they sought N2 billion in general damages from Davido, along with N150 million for legal and professional fees and an additional N30 million for filing costs.
The defendants in the lawsuit are David Adeleke (Davido) and his music label, Davido Music Worldwide Limited.
During the hearing, Davido’s lawyer, Mr. Norrison Quakers, SAN, informed the court of a pending appeal and filed a motion for a stay of proceedings.
Quakers stated that the defendants had received the claimant’s counter affidavit to the motion for a stay but requested to withdraw the motion, citing the Court of Appeal’s jurisdiction over the proceedings.
The claimant’s counsel, Kelechi Onwuegbuchulem, did not oppose the motion’s withdrawal, and the court granted it accordingly. In a bench ruling, the court upheld the claimant’s argument, stating that proceedings would continue until an order staying further action is obtained from the Court of Appeal.
Meanwhile, the court approved a motion to formalize the claimant’s reply to the statement of defence and directed the filing of Pre-Trial Conference (PTC) forms within 14 days, in line with court rules. The case was adjourned to March 21, 2024, for a pre-trial conference.
It’s worth noting that Davido had previously contested the court’s jurisdiction in a preliminary objection, arguing that the case should not be heard in Effurun. However, the court dismissed this objection in its ruling.
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