DVD pirate sent straight to jail

2007-08-30 17:39

Cape Town - In a breakthrough for anti-piracy efforts a magistrate in the Krugersdorp District Court sentenced a DVD Pirate to 12 months direct imprisonment on Wednesday.

This is the first instance of direct imprisonment for anyone found guilty of piracy.

Mr Fulegenae Lumino was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, of which only 6 months was suspended for 5 years, without the option of a fine following his conviction for offences under the Copyright Act.

Mr Lumino was arrested in May 2007.

Safact, the film and game anti-piracy organisation, presented evidence in aggravation of sentence during the trial which highlighted the impact of piracy on the economy and legitimate businesses.

Safact CEO, James Lennox, welcomed the sentence and hoped that it was the start of a trend of direct imprisonment sentences against those found guilty of copyright theft as well as acting as a deterrent to those involved in the criminal activity of pirating of films and PlayStation games.

- News24