NCC secures 40 piracy convictions

Director-General of NCC, Mr. Afam Ezekude who disclosed this in a report at the commission’s headquarters, Abuja recently, revealed that the commission secured three convictions against pirates in 2011, 26 in 2012 and 11 between January and June, 2013.Also, the Federal High Court Ikoyi convicted and sentenced three pirates to various jail terms, including imprisonment, […]

Director-General of NCC, Mr. Afam Ezekude who disclosed this in a report at the commission’s headquarters, Abuja recently, revealed that the commission secured three convictions against pirates in 2011, 26 in 2012 and 11 between January and June, 2013.
Also, the Federal High Court Ikoyi convicted and sentenced three pirates to various jail terms, including imprisonment, in some instances, without the option of fine for the infringement of the book, The Accidental Public Servant,  written by Malam Nasir el Rufai.
Justice Idris of the Federal High Court Ikoyi Lagos, on May 6, 2013, in charge No: FHC/L/159C/13 sentenced Nwoke Israel to one year’s imprisonment, without option of fine, on a two count charge of having in his possession and selling pirated copies of the book.
Justice Yunusa also of the Federal High Court Ikoyi, on May 10, 2013, in charge No FHC/L/158C/13 sentenced another book pirate, Ifeanyichukwu Nweke, to six months’ imprisonment with an option of N1,000  fine for each count on a similar two count charge of infringing the same book.
Similarly, on a two-count charge of having in possession and selling pirated copies of the book, Justice Saidu of the same court, on May 22, 2013 sentenced Akamu Chibueze to three months’ imprisonment, in charge No: FHC/L/149C/13, for both counts without any option of fine to run concurrently.
The convictions were sequel to anti-piracy operations carried out by operatives of the commission in major outlets in Lagos, following complaints earlier received from the right owner.
The commission had on May 8, 2013, raided a printing press in Gbagada, a notorious piracy haven, and confiscated N4,000,000 worth of suspected pirated books of various titles owned by different publishers like Evans, HEBN, Learn Africa, Nelson and Africana First.
Mr. Ezekude further revealed that, in recently, the Federal High Courts in Abuja and Lagos convicted five suspected pirates for their involvement in literary and broadcast piracy in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Lagos State respectively.