Man jailed for pirating Bible

A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a book pirate,
Anthony Okojie, to two years imprisonment for pirating Bibles and
religious books published by Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN).

Justice Musa Kurya found Okojie guilty of a one-count charge of
piracy and sentenced him without an option of fine.

The judgment which was delivered on January 29, was made
available to The Nation by the Nigerian Copyright Commission
(NCC).

Okojie’s sentence commences from the day of his arrest, November
26, 2013.

The NCC arraigned the convict before Justice Kurya on November
26, 2013.

Okojie challenged his arraignment but eventually pleaded not
guilty to the charge on February 13, 2014.

During trial, the Commission told the court that it received a
letter from the BSN on June 12, 2013 alleging that its products
(Bibles and motivational books) were being pirated by Okojie at
Sango-Ota, Ogun State.

It said it investigated the claim by, among others, making a
test purchase from Okojie. On June 21, 2013, NCC operatives raided
Okojie’s shop at Ojolowu Shopping Complex along Abeokuta
Expressway, Sango-Ota.

They found and confiscated 376 pirated works (Bibles and
motivational books) belonging to the BSN following which Okojie was
arrested and arraigned.

The prosecution presented three witnesses and tendered several
exhibits to establish its case.

But Okojie neither put in a defence nor called any witness,
rather, he filed a no-case submission which was eventually
dismissed by Justice Kuya.

The NCC adopted its written address and Okojie’s counsel adopted
his no-case submission on November 24, 2015.

The trial finally came to an end with Okojie’s conviction and
sentencing.

Speaking on the judgment, NCC Lagos Office Director/Zonal
Manager Mr. Obi Ezeilo said the agency will continue to fish out
copyright pirates and prosecute them.

He warned pirates to desist from such act. Ezeilo affirmed the
Commission’s zero tolerance for piracy and warned bookshop
operators to ensure that their premises are not used for copyright
piracy.

A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a book pirate,
Anthony Okojie, to two years imprisonment for pirating Bibles and
religious books published by Bible Society of Nigeria
(BSN).

Justice Musa Kurya found Okojie guilty of a one-count charge of
piracy and sentenced him without an option of fine.

The judgment which was delivered on January 29, was made
available to The Nation by the Nigerian Copyright Commission
(NCC).

Okojie’s sentence commences from the day of his arrest, November
26, 2013.

The NCC arraigned the convict before Justice Kurya on November
26, 2013.

Okojie challenged his arraignment but eventually pleaded not
guilty to the charge on February 13, 2014.

During trial, the Commission told the court that it received a
letter from the BSN on June 12, 2013 alleging that its products
(Bibles and motivational books) were being pirated by Okojie at
Sango-Ota, Ogun State.

It said it investigated the claim by, among others, making a
test purchase from Okojie. On June 21, 2013, NCC operatives raided
Okojie’s shop at Ojolowu Shopping Complex along Abeokuta
Expressway, Sango-Ota.

They found and confiscated 376 pirated works (Bibles and
motivational books) belonging to the BSN following which Okojie was
arrested and arraigned.

The prosecution presented three witnesses and tendered several
exhibits to establish its case.

But Okojie neither put in a defence nor called any witness,
rather, he filed a no-case submission which was eventually
dismissed by Justice Kuya.

The NCC adopted its written address and Okojie’s counsel adopted
his no-case submission on November 24, 2015.

The trial finally came to an end with Okojie’s conviction and
sentencing.

Speaking on the judgment, NCC Lagos Office Director/Zonal
Manager Mr. Obi Ezeilo said the agency will continue to fish out
copyright pirates and prosecute them.

He warned pirates to desist from such act. Ezeilo affirmed the
Commission’s zero tolerance for piracy and warned bookshop
operators to ensure that their premises are not used for copyright
piracy.