PH
Six individuals in Lagos have been charged for allegedly pirating Toyin Abraham’s movie ‘Malaika’.
Malaika premiered in Lagos on December 17. It also had its theatrical debut on December 22.
Aminat Mayegun, spokesman at the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon in Ikoyi, Lagos, has already paraded the suspects.
According to Mayegun, the suspects were reportedly involved in a conspiracy, intellectual property infringement, piracy, and cyber-related crimes, including the illegal use of cyberspace to broadcast the movie.
According to the spokesperson, Abraham and the movie’s co-producer, Seun Olayemi, have filed a criminal complaint.
Speaking with TheCable Lifestyle on Wednesday, Mayegun stated that six individuals were arrested on Tuesday.
“The six suspects, four boys and two ladies were arraigned yesterday at the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Tinubu,” she went on to say.
The defendants, Kehinde Oseni, Adekunle Segun, Adebiyi Sodiq, Oseni S. Akano, Agboola Motunrayo, and Adebiyi Suliat, were charged with stealing intellectual property, conspiring, and attempting to obstruct justice.
The prosecution counsel, Morufu Animashaun, informed the court that the alleged illicit actions occurred in January at Apapa.
He noted that the defendants breached sections 411, 972, 415, and 87 of the Lagos State Criminal Laws of 2015.
While the defendants pled not guilty to the accusations, Animashaun asked the court to send the accused to the jail facility until the issue was resolved.
However, the defendant’s representative, Ganiyu Oyarevuegbe, sought bail for them, making an oral request under the most permissive circumstances.
Abraham recently revealed that she endured panic attacks and was hospitalized after discovering piracy of her movie.
