By Dipo Olowookere
The management of Nigerian Breweries Plc has confirmed that a suit bordering on copyrights violation has been filed against it by the federal government.
In a statement, the company said the legal action is mainly based on one of the brands in its portfolio, the Amstel Malta trademark.
It said the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) filed the suit against the company and its former
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Johan A. Doyer, adding that the criminal action was pending at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
“The said action is not new as it was actually instituted in October, 2017, based on a complaint by one Mr Paul Allen Oche, who is laying a claim to the copyright supposedly contained in a book he ‘wrote’ and which book has, as part of its title, the Amstel Malta trademark which is well known as one of the brands in the company’s portfolio,” the statement said.
It was disclosed that Mr Oche filed a personal action with respect to the same issue, at the same court claiming damages against the company and others.
“The company also confirms that it will be defending the action with a view to protecting its legal rights as well as upholding its reputation.
“As a law abiding corporate citizen, we restate our respect for the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and our commitment to seeing each court action through to its logical conclusion,” it said.
Adedapo Adesanya