The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, arraigned Metro Digital Limited before Justice A.T. Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on an amended four-count charge bordering on cybercrime, unlawful interception, and alleged illegal rebroadcast of content belonging to MultiChoice Nigeria Limited.
At the hearing, prosecution counsel, Steve E. Odiase, informed the court that the matter was ready for arraignment.
However, defence counsel, S.A. Somairi, SAN, attempted to halt proceedings by raising a preliminary objection. The court, however, overruled the objection and ordered that the plea be taken in accordance with Section 478 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which provides that a corporate body may enter a plea through its representative in writing.
The court further noted that a corporation may plead either guilty or not guilty through an authorised representative when properly called upon to respond to charges.
One of the counts alleged that Metro Digital Limited, along with its Managing Director, Ifeanyi John Nwafor (at large), and staff member, Ikenna Kanu (at large), between 2015 and 2019 in Port Harcourt, conspired to commit felony by unlawfully intercepting broadcast signals. The act was said to contravene Section 27(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Another count stated that on or about August 16, 2019, the defendants allegedly, without authorisation, intercepted and rebroadcast content from “tiger boxes,” dongles, and other devices over which MultiChoice Nigeria Limited holds exclusive broadcasting rights in Sub-Saharan Africa. This, the EFCC said, contravenes Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.
The case was subsequently adjourned for further proceedings.
