Policemen from the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) Alagbon Lagos have busted a syndicate of pirates, who pirated two popular recently — released movies, A Tribe Called Judah by Funke Akindele and “Malaika” by Toyin Abraham.
The arrested suspects included a member of staff of a new generation bank, Kehinde Iyanda, a woman and her son and his girlfriend and others, reports Nigerian Tribune.
This was disclosed today by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the department, AIG Idowu Owohunwa.
The police boss said, “FCID (Annex), Lagos has in recent weeks investigated and successfully cracked a number of high-profile criminal cases, some of which are of public and internal security interest.”
“Major among these include the following: Bursting of a syndicate involved in Conspiracy, Infringement on the Intellectual Property, Piracy and Cyber-related Crimes in relation to the unlawful utilization of the cyberspace to broadcast Toyin Abraham’s Movie titled ‘Malaika’
AIG Owohunwa stated that “On the 11th of January, 2024 a criminal complaint was lodged by popular actress, Mrs. Toyin Abraham and Seun Olayemi, the co-producers of a movie titled “Malaika’.”
“The petitioners alleged that some elements believed to include one Kehinde Iyanda and had criminally pirated their latest movie which was originally released for cinema viewing only on the 21st December 2023.”
According to him, “It was alleged that the elements unlawfully and fraudulently accessed the movie, uploaded it on their website and created a streaming weblink for their social media followers worldwide to freely view the movie, thereby infringing on their intellectual rights and denying them of their movie profits while unlawfully profiting from therefrom.”
“Following the receipt of the petition, a joint investigation involving the Special Investigation Units of the Anti-Fraud and Cybercrime Sections of the Department was launched, while the unique intelligence and cybercrime assets of the Force were optimally deployed. ”
The police boss added that “Through these initiatives, the websites of origin of the crime were narrowed down to www.noregret.com.ng which was registered, owned and operated by one Lagos-based Kehinde Iyanda and www.naijajoy.com.ng owned and maintained by one Ogun State -based Adekunle Segun”.
“Follow-up coordinated actions by crack detectives on the case led to the apprehension of Kehinde Iyanda, the principal suspect and following the execution of a search warrant at his residence, a laptop, two phones and some certificates of business registration of companies linked to his offensive website and criminal activities were recovered.”
The police boss stated that, “During the investigation, he indicated that the www.noregret.com.ng website which he utilized for the online piracy was designed for him for that purpose by Sodiq Adebiyi and that he has been receiving technical support from him in administering it.”
“He additionally acknowledged that the website was, as alleged, utilized to pirate several movies including the ‘Malaika’ movie as alleged by the complainants.”
He claimed to be a contract staff of a new generation bank and identified one Adebiyi Sodiq and Sodiq Oseni Akano as his co-conspirators in the perfection of the crime.
The police boss also continued that “Follow-up investigation also indicated that Adebiyi Sodiq also owns and operates his own independent streaming platform identified as vwww.36vibes.com.ng which he also utilized for advancing similar cybercrimes including the online piracy and unlawful broadcast of ‘Malaika’ of Toyin Abraham and the blockbuster Funke Akindele’s movie entitled ‘A Tribe Called Judah’.”
“Indeed, Funke Akindele had earlier reported the crime against the suspect at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Lagos State Police Command and a consolidated investigation is, accordingly, being undertaken by this Department.”
According to the police, “On the strength of these pieces of allegations, detectives from this Department arrested Adebiyi Sodiq in Osogbo, Osun State.”
“It is pertinent to mention that during his arrest, and as part of well-orchestrated actions directed at covering up his criminal signature, Adebiyi Sodi conspired with his mother, Mrs Adebiyi Suliat to remove and hide the laptop he utilized in perfecting the crime in an effort to conceal vital electronic evidence and frustrate conclusive and credible police investigation.”
The police boss also stated that, “Drawing on their rich experiences in the investigation of cases of this nature, and supported by intelligence actions, detectives arrested the said Adebiyi Suliat and recovered the concealed laptop from her custody.”
“Also recovered directly from his suspect son, Adebiyi Sodiq were two (2) Mobile phones both of which were linked to his criminal activities aside the laptop computer.”
The police also revealed that, “In a similar vein, one Agboola Sadiat Motunrayo, girlfriend of Adebiyi Sodiq was also arrested for frustrating police investigation by consistently passing information on police investigative actions that are directed at arresting Sodiq Oseni Akano to him, thereby aiding him to evade police arrest. ”
“While both Mrs Adebiyi Suliat and Agboola Motunrayo are being arrested and will be prosecuted for being accessories after the fact of a crime, arrangements are being perfected to declare Sodiq Oseni Akano wanted, should he fail to voluntarily submit himself.”
Also arrested in the investigation process is Adekunle Segun, the owner, promoter, and administrator of www.naijajoy.com.ng whose website was also involved in the online movie piracy network.
He was arrested at his Sango Ota, Ogun State base while the weblink to access the ‘Malaika’ movie was also found on his website.
On interrogation, he also confessed to pirating and unlawfully uploading the ‘Malaika’ movie and other Nigerian movies on his website.
