EFCC Slams Cybercrime Charge Against Firm Over Alleged Illegal Rebroadcast Of Multichoice Content

The Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, arraigned a communication company, Metro Digital Limited, before Justice A.T Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on an amended four-count charge bordering on cybercrime and alleged unlawful interception and rebroadcast of Multichoice Nigeria Limited’s content.

Prosecution counsel, Steve E. Odiase, informed the court that the matter was slated for arraignment, but the Defence counsel, S.A. Somairi, SAN, tried to stop the arraignment by informing the court of a preliminary objection.

However, the judge refused and ordered the plea to be taken in line with Section 478 of ACJA 2015, which states that ” where a corporation is called upon to plead to any charge or information framed under the provisions of this Act or charge or information added to or altered under the provisions of this Act, it may enter in writing by its representative a plea of guilty or not guilty”

According to a statement posted on the verified Facebook page of the anti-graft agency on Wednesday, Count one of the charges read; “That you Metro Digital Limited(RC NO.501134), Ifeanyi John Nwafor being the Managing Director of Metro Digital Limited (RC NO. 501134) (at large) and Ikenna Kanu, being a member of staff of Metro Digital Limited (RC NO. 501134) (at large), between 2015 and 2019, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: unlawful interceptions and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) act, 2015 and punishable under Section … (1) of the same Act.

Another count reads; “That you Metro Digital Limited(RC NO.501134), Ifeanyi John Nwafor being the Managing Director of Metro Digital Limited (RC NO. 501134) (at large) and Ikenna Kanu, being a member of staff of Metro Digital Limited (RC NO. 501134) (at large), on or about 16th day of August, 2019, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did intentionally and without authorization, intercept by technical means and rebroadcast tiger boxes, Dongles, etc., over which Multichoice Nigeria Limited have exclusive rights in Sub-saharan Africa and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 12 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) act, 2015 and punishable under Section .12 (1) of the same Act.

The charges say the company and some of its staff worked together between 2015 and 2019 to illegally access and rebroadcast multichoice content without permission.

Metro Digital Limited, through its representative, pleaded “not guilty” to all the four-count charges.

In view of the plea of “not guilty”, Odiase prayed the court for a trial date.

Justice Mohammed adjourned the matter to June 29 & 30, 2026, for continuation of trial.

Investigations of the case started after Multichoice reported the matter to the EFCC in 2019, claiming that illegal broadcast of its content caused it major financial losses.