The Chief Executive Officer of NetNaija Media Enterprises, Emmanuel Analike, was on Wednesday remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre after he was arraigned before the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Abuja on charges bordering on copyright infringement.
Analike was arraigned by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) over allegations of possession of infringing copies of works, making infringing copies, distributing infringing materials and making such copies available to others.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Trial judge, Justice Suleiman Liman, ordered that the NetNaija boss be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.
The judge subsequently fixed March 9 for ruling on the bail application.
Counsel to the defendant, Nnemeka Ejiofor, told the court that a bail application had already been filed on Monday.
Ejiofor said the application was supported by a 23-paragraph affidavit and a written address urging the court to grant his client bail.
However, Justice Liman declined to give a bench ruling on the request and adjourned the matter to March 9 to rule on the application.
Earlier during the proceedings, prosecution counsel and Head of Legal at the NCC, Gladys Isaac-Ojo, informed the court that the case was scheduled for arraignment.
She told the court that the defendant allegedly committed offences contrary to Section 44(1)(a) of the Copyright Act 2022.
Speaking with journalists after the court session, Isaac-Ojo said the suspect was arrested over allegations of online piracy and infringement of copyright works, including sound recordings and audiovisual materials such as movies belonging to both local and international creators.
“I am so excited that we were able to get him after all efforts. It is a huge success and something remarkable because of the joy it would bring to the NCC,” she said.
She added that although the case had not commenced fully, the arraignment alone was a major step in the prosecution process.
Isaac-Ojo also noted that the defence team had the right under the law to seek bail for the defendant, adding that the court would determine whether the request would be granted.
She further explained that the commission charged both the suspect and his company because the alleged infringement was carried out through the platform.
“The company involved is NetNaija, an online movie and music download site,” she said.
The matter is expected to resume on March 9 for ruling on the bail application before further proceedings in the trial.
