The Chief Executive Officer of NetNaija Media Enterprises, Emmanuel Analike, has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre after appearing before the Federal High Court in Abuja on allegations related to copyright infringement.
Analike was arraigned by the Nigerian Copyright Commission on charges including possession of infringing copies of copyrighted works, producing such copies, and distributing them to the public.
The charges were filed under provisions of the Copyright Act 2022.During the proceedings, the presiding judge, Justice Suleiman Liman, ordered that the defendant be held at the Kuje Correctional Centre while the court considers his application for bail.
The court scheduled March 9 for the ruling on the bail request.Counsel to the defendant, Nnemeka Ejiofor, informed the court that a formal bail application had already been filed earlier in the week.
According to him, the application was supported by a 23 paragraph affidavit and a written address outlining the legal arguments for granting bail.However, the judge declined to issue an immediate decision and adjourned the matter until the scheduled date to rule on the request.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Gladys Isaac Ojo, who heads the legal unit of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, told the court that the case had been brought forward for the defendant’s arraignment.
She stated that the alleged offences contravene Section 44(1)(a) of the Copyright Act 2022.Analike pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Speaking to journalists after the court session, Isaac Ojo said the arrest followed allegations of large scale online piracy involving copyrighted materials.
She explained that the alleged infringement covered sound recordings and audiovisual content such as movies belonging to both Nigerian and foreign creators.
She described the arraignment as a significant step for the commission in its efforts to combat digital piracy.
According to her, while the defence has the legal right to apply for bail, the decision ultimately rests with the court.
She added that the case could involve both the individual and the corporate entity, noting that the alleged infringement was carried out through the NetNaija platform, a website known for distributing movies and music online.
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