Nigerian Breweries releases statement on lawsuit filed against it by the Nigerian Copyright Commission

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Nigerian Breweries Plc on Monday released a statement on a pending legal case brought against it by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC). The company stated that it was defending the action filed against it and its former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Johan A. Doyer, by the NCC. The case is pending at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to the company, the case is not new as it was instituted in October, 2017 by one Mr Paul Allen Oche, who is laying claims 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 claimant, Mr Oche has subsequently filed a personal action with respect to the same issue, claiming damages against the company and others. The company also confirmed that it will be defending the action with a view to protecting its legal rights as well as upholding its reputation.

About the lawsuit

In the suit, the NCC accused Nigerian Breweries and its former MD, Johan A. Doyer of infringing on copies of a book titled, “The Amstel Factor”, a book in which copyright subsists in favour of one Mr Paul Allen Oche.

Mr Oche through his lawyers wants the court to declare that he is the owner of the copyright over the intellectual literary work titled “The Amstel Factor” an Amstel Malta Guide on how to be the best you can be. He claims that the settings, imageries used in brewer’s “Why Add More?” Amstel Malta campaign infringed on his rights since the brewer’ neither sought nor obtained his permission to adapt and publish his intellectual literary work in their campaign.

 

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