LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of NetNaija CEO Emmanuel Analike at Kuje Correctional Centre after he was arraigned over alleged copyright infringement involving movies and music distributed through the popular download platform.
Following his arraignment on multiple copyright-related charges, Analike appeared before Justice Suleiman Liman on Wednesday after the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) brought a case accusing him of possessing infringing copies of copyrighted materials, producing unauthorized duplicates, distributing the materials, and allowing others to access such copies.
During the proceedings, defense counsel Nnemeka Ejiofor informed the court that a bail application had already been submitted. According to him, the request, filed on Monday contains a 23-paragraph affidavit accompanied by a written address urging the court to grant his client temporary freedom.
Despite the filing, Justice Liman declined to deliver an immediate ruling from the bench, instead he ordered Analike’s remand pending a decision on his bail request. The court, thereby scheduled the next hearing date for March 9.
Earlier in the session, prosecuting counsel Gladys Isaac-Ojo, who heads the legal department of the NCC, told the court that the matter was listed for arraignment and outlined the charges against the NetNaija boss. Prosecutors allege that Analike violated provisions of Section 44(1)(a) of the Copyright Act, 2022 by enabling unauthorized copies of creative works to be reproduced and shared online.
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The materials in question reportedly include sound recordings and audiovisual productions from both Nigerian and international creators. Analike, however, entered a plea of not guilty to all the charges brought against him.
Speaking with journalists after the court session, Isaac-Ojo described the arraignment as a milestone for the commission’s ongoing campaign against digital piracy.
“I am so excited that we were able to get him after all efforts. It it a huge success and something remarkable because of the joy it would bring to the NCC. It is a victory on our side, though the case has not started, but the arraignment alone is a victory for us,” she said.
Explaining the charges further, she noted that both the individual and the company linked to the alleged infringement were included in the case. She added that the court will determine the outcome of the bail request when proceedings resume.
“He committed the act through his company, so that’s why we charged him and his company. The company is NetNaija, an online movie and music download site. He has the right to file a bail application under the law, so the judge will decide whether he will grant the bail or not,” Isaac-Ojo stated.
Attention now shifts to the next court date, when the judge is expected to rule on the bail application before the case proceeds to trial, marking a significant test for Nigeria’s enforcement of digital copyright laws in the entertainment industry.
(NAN)
