A Lagos High Court judge has ordered the seizure of a film by Omoni Oboli, and this comes just days after the actress was barred from showing the film
A Lagos High Court judge has ordered the seizure of a film by Omoni Oboli, and this comes just days after the actress was barred from showing the film at the premiere last week. An Anton Piller order was issued by Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court in Lagos, seizing the film and also, stopping it from being shown in any theatre or cinema house, pending the court’s decision. The judge reportedly also ordered the seizure of all copies, materials, projections or infringing materials, relating to the subject matter. This move was approved following an application by Rancoteur Productions Ltd, on behalf of the writer Jude Idada.
The drama started last September, after the Canadian-based movie Nigerian writer accused Omoni Oboli of stealing his idea for her latest movie. The popular actress and producer never addressed the story, instead she went ahead with filming and promotion of the said movie, and allegedly ignored court summons, until she was dealt a huge blow on the day slated for the movie premiere. Idada filed his suit through Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN).
The court order below:
“An order of interim injunction, restraining the first to third defendants, whether by themselves or their privies, from premiering the feature film “Okafor’s Law”, in Lagos or any part of Nigeria, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
“An order of interim injunction, restraining the defendant from releasing the featured film in any movie theatre or Cinema house on March 31, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
“An order of interim injunction, restraining the defendants from distributing the featured film, pending the determination of the motion on notice.
“An Anton piller order is granted to the plaintiff, to enter into the defendant’s premises, Cinema, Studio and other places of dissemination, to seize all copies of infringing materials relating to subject matter.
“An order, directing the defendants to deliver and surrender to the plaintiff’s solicitors, all products and packages with the inscription, “Okafor’s Law” and volume of transaction or trade which have been done by defendants.
“An order directing the defendants to permit the court’s bailiff, and such other persons not exceeding four (4), to enter the premises on any working day of Monday to Saturday at 8am to 8pm, to remove all products or packages with the name “Okafor’s Law.”
