3 Arrested as State Agency Busts Pirated Content Syndicate in Nairobi

The Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) officers have arrested three suspects in connection with operating unauthorized exhibition and distribution of copyright-protected works in Nairobi.

In a statement on Wednesday, May 27, KECOBO said it conducted an operation at Syvy Plaza in Pipeline within Kware, Embakasi.

During the operation, KECOBO officers confiscated equipment suspected to have been used for unauthorized broadcasting.

“KECOBO, together with enforcement agencies, yesterday conducted successful copyright enforcement operations in Nairobi targeting unauthorized exhibition and distribution of copyright-protected works.

“The first operation was conducted at Syvy Plaza in Pipeline within Kware, Embakasi, where officers confiscated suspected illegal broadcasting equipment,” read the statement in part.

Among the confiscated items were DStv decoders, amplifiers, splitters, cables, and other broadcasting accessories suspected to have been used to facilitate unauthorized access and public exhibition of premium content.

The three suspects apprehended during the raid are expected to be arraigned in court.

The board also mentioned it carried out another operation at a Nairobi hotel following complaints relating to territorial rights infringement.

Further, the board warned members of the public against unauthorized exhibition, screening, broadcasting or distribution of protected works.

KECOBO urged Kenyans to report suspected copyright infringement activities to the board for action to be taken.

“KECOBO reminds all users and distributors of creative content that unauthorized exhibition, screening, broadcast, or distribution of protected works is illegal and denies creators and rightful license holders their earnings,” the statement added.

This comes months after KECOBO arrested a suspect linked to a sophisticated online piracy network distributing copyrighted television content belonging to licensed broadcasters.

The suspect, identified as Kelvin Kiplagat Singóei, was arrested in Kiplombe, Uasin Gishu County.

According to the board, the suspect was reselling premium television channels, including popular sports and entertainment networks.

“The suspect, Kelvin Kiplagat Singóei, was apprehended in Kiplombe, Uasin Gishu County, for distributing and reselling illegal streams of premium television channels, including popular sports and entertainment networks.

“The unauthorized services were marketed through various online platforms and social media accounts, offering consumers access to Pay-TV content without the required licenses,” read the statement in part.

KECOBO pointed out that the illegal operation infringed copyright laws and also posed serious cybersecurity and data privacy risks to users.

Investigations revealed that the subscribers of the illegal operation were required to share personal information and make digital payments through unverified platforms, exposing them to data breaches, financial fraud, and malware infections.

Following the arrest, the suspect appeared before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Eldoret, where he was released on a cash bail of Ksh300,000, with a surety of the same amount.