January 17,(THEWILL) – The Federal Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police Force, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos, have arrested five individuals linked to the piracy of ‘Malaika,’ a high-end budget movie produced by Nollywood actress, Toyin Abraham.
The individuals in custody are currently facing charges related to conspiracy, intellectual property infringement, piracy, and cybercrimes.
Following the discovery that ‘Malaika,’ which was exclusively released to the cinemas on December 21, 2023, was circulating illegally online, Abraham and co-producer, Seun Olayemi, filed a criminal complaint on Thursday.
The FCID then launched a joint investigation with specialised units, employing cybercrime resources to track down the culprits.
Assistant Inspector General of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, from FCID Alagbon has vowed to continue the fight against piracy, pledging to work closely with the Nigerian Commission and stakeholders in the movie industry to cleanse it of such malpractices.
The suspects, including a staff member of a new generation bank named Kehinde Iyanda, a woman, her son, his girlfriend, and others, were taken into custody by the police.
The complainants alleged that Kehinde Iyanda and others criminally pirated their movie, which was initially released for cinema viewing on December 21, 2023. The suspects allegedly accessed the movie, uploaded it on their website, and created a streaming web link for global viewers, infringing on intellectual rights and causing financial losses.
Following the joint investigation by the Anti-Fraud and Cybercrime Sections of the FCID, the websites involved in the piracy were identified. Kehinde Iyanda, the principal suspect, was arrested, and during a search at his residence, a laptop, two phones, and business registration certificates linked to his offensive website were recovered.
Iyanda admitted to using the website for online piracy and claimed to receive technical support from Adeniyi Sodiq. Adebiyi, the owner of www.36vibes.com.ng, another platform involved in cybercrimes, was also arrested.
He confessed to pirating ‘Malaika’ and Funke Akindele’s movie, ‘A Tribe Called Judah.’
The investigation revealed that Adebiyi conspired with his mother, Mrs. Adebiyi Suliat, to conceal evidence by removing and hiding the laptop used in the crime.
Both Mrs. Adebiyi Suliat and Agboola Sadiat Motunrayo, the girlfriend of Sodiq, were arrested for being accessories after the fact.
Adekunle Segun, the owner of www.naijajoy.com.ng, was also arrested for his involvement in online movie piracy. The weblink to access ‘Malaika’ was found on his website, and he confessed to the unlawful act during interrogation.
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