Woman fined for illegal DVDs
2009-07-04 07:11
Pietermaritzburg - A Congolese woman was fined an effective R40 000 on Friday for being in possession of 1 400 illegal DVDs and computer equipment used for making DVD copies.
Pendo Assumani, 32, of Greyling Street, Pietermaritzburg, admitted in the city's Magistrate's Court that she had copied the illegal DVDs, knowing that their copyright existed.
She said she made the copies to sell, knowing it was illegal. Computer equipment found in her possession contained a plate of various DVDs with which she intended to make copies for sale.
Her attorney, John Wills, said she was a first offender and asked that she be allowed to pay the fine at R1 000 per month.
Magistrate Celumusa Ndwandwe agreed and imposed a fine of R60 000. An amount of R20 000 was conditionally suspended.
The bust on her premises on Thursday came after surveillance as police believed it was part of a bigger syndicate, police spokesperson Captain Henry Budhram said.
Police confiscated DVDs worth R120 000 and computer equipment worth R40 000.
Some of the DVDs included films currently on circuit.
Russell Crawford of the Recording Industry of South Africa said it was estimated that the industry lost up to R350m a year due to piracy.
- SAPA