The Federal High Court in Abuja has remanded the Chief Executive Officer of NetNaija Media Enterprises, Emmanuel Analike, in the Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged copyright infringement.
Justice Suleiman Liman ordered the remand after the defendant’s counsel, Nnemeka Ejiofor, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed on behalf of his client.
The application, according to Ejiofor, was submitted on Monday and supported by a 23-paragraph affidavit alongside a written address.
What the court is saying
Ejiofor proceeded to argue the bail application before the court, noting that it was brought within 48 hours of Analike’s arraignment.
- However, Justice Liman declined to deliver a bench ruling immediately and instead adjourned the matter until March 9 for a formal ruling on the bail request. Pending that decision, the court ordered that the defendant remain in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
- Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution counsel, Gladys Isaac-Ojo, who heads the legal unit of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), informed the court that the case had been scheduled for the defendant’s arraignment.
- According to the prosecution, Analike is accused of committing offences contrary to Section 44(1)(a) of the Copyright Act, 2022. The charge relates to alleged copyright violations connected to digital media content distributed through an online platform.
When the charges were read in court, the defendant pleaded not guilty.
The four-count charge filed against Analike includes allegations of possessing infringing copies of copyrighted works, making unauthorized copies of such works, distributing the infringing materials, and making the copies available to members of the public.
- Prosecutors allege that the activities involved copyrighted sound recordings and audiovisual works, including movies belonging to both Nigerian and international rights holders.
- Speaking to journalists after the court session, Isaac-Ojo described the arraignment as a significant step for the commission’s enforcement efforts against online piracy.
- She noted that the suspect was arrested following investigations into alleged digital piracy activities involving the distribution of copyrighted movies and music without authorization from rights holders.
- According to her, the case marks an important milestone for the commission, which has been intensifying its efforts to tackle copyright violations in Nigeria’s digital media ecosystem.
Isaac-Ojo, however, acknowledged that the defendant’s legal team was within its rights to apply for bail, adding that the court would ultimately decide whether the request should be granted.
What you should know
Recall that in 2023, Netnajia had announced it would discontinue its services to the public.
In a statement on its website, the platform said it would now be focusing on other sections of its services.
The statement explained that it started as a personal hobby, then grew to a group archive, and then achieved enormous popularity, turning it into a fan favourite.
NetNaija is an online platform for the latest movies, entertainment gossip, music, breaking news, and more. The website was founded in March, 2009.
The platform started out as proudlyboiz, changed to NetNaija.com and changed to TheNetNaija.
