Court gavel
A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the criminal proceedings brought by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) against the Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways, Mr. Temi Birdzell, and three other senior officials of the airline.
Justice James Omotosho made the ruling on Tuesday, stating that the matter could not proceed until all defendants had been properly served with court documents.
The case involved not only Mr. Birdzell, but also Stella Ihediwa, the airline’s Account Manager; Kennedy Chirchir, the Country Manager; and Eva Ojeje, Sales Manager. All four were charged with alleged violations of the FCCPC Act, 2018.
During the hearing, FCCPC’s legal representative, Daniel Amadi, informed the court that the commission had been unable to serve all the accused individuals, a procedural requirement before trial can begin.
As a result, Justice Omotosho ruled to strike out the case for the time being, allowing the commission to return once service is properly effected.
> “The matter is hereby struck out to enable the prosecution serve all the defendants in accordance with the law,” the judge ruled.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/200/2025, had originally been scheduled for arraignment on October 7, following an earlier adjournment on June 24.
According to court filings, the FCCPC had filed a two-count charge on May 27, alleging that the defendants failed to appear before the commission in compliance with a lawful summons issued on September 6, 2024.
The commission also accused them of deliberately withholding documents requested under the same summons dated September 18, and of violating consumer protection rights—offences that fall under Sections 33(3), 111, 124(1), and 155 of the FCCPC Act.
While the charges have been struck out for now, the court’s ruling leaves open the possibility of the case being refiled once proper procedures are followed.
