EFCC CHARGES COMPANY OVER ALLEGED ILLEGAL REBROADCAST OF MULTICHOICE CONTENT
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By ;Ganiyat Sunmola
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Metro Digital Limited before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt over allegations of illegal interception and rebroadcasting of content belonging to Multichoice Nigeria Limited.
The arraignment took place on May 5, 2026, before Justice A.T. Mohammed at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on an amended four-count charge bordering on cybercrime.
During proceedings, prosecution counsel Steve E. Odiase informed the court that the matter was for arraignment, while defence counsel S.A. Somairi, SAN, objected and urged the court to halt the process.
However, the court dismissed the objection and ordered that the plea be taken, relying on provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which permits a corporate body to enter a plea through its representative.
According to the charge, Metro Digital Limited, alongside its Managing Director, Ifeanyi John Nwafor, and a staff member, Ikenna Kanu, allegedly conspired between 2015 and 2019 to illegally intercept and rebroadcast Multichoice content without authorisation.
The prosecution further alleged that the company used technical equipment, including decoder systems, to retransmit copyrighted content belonging exclusively to Multichoice across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The company, represented in court, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Following the plea, the prosecution requested a trial date, and the court adjourned the case to June 29 and 30, 2026, for continuation of hearing.
The EFCC stated that investigations into the matter began in 2019 after Multichoice Nigeria Limited reported alleged illegal redistribution of its content, which it said resulted in substantial financial losses.
The statement was published on the commission’s official platform on May 5, 2026.
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