Two netted over copyright
Dec 28, 2006
Recently enacted in Parliament, the Copyright Law seems to have started ‘biting’. Last week, Geoffrey Musoke, an employee of Movies and General (M&G) and its owner, only identified as Abubaker, were arrested.
By Jude Katende
Recently enacted in Parliament, the Copyright Law seems to have started ‘biting’. Last week, Geoffrey Musoke, an employee of Movies and General (M&G) and its owner, only identified as Abubaker, were arrested.
Abubaker had duplicated copies of Roses In The Rain, a film shot in Uganda, starring Ugandans and Nigerians. Abubaker was selling the duplicated copies at sh2,500 each, whereas an original copy was selling at sh5,000.
Officials from the Uganda Federation of Movie Industries (UFMI) and Video World, the copyright owners, stormed M&G on Centre Point Building in Kampala with a court order and policemen.
Musoke was taken to the Central Police Station with the forged DVDs. The Police confiscated the equipment they allegedly use to duplicate CDs.
Emma Onuoha, the director of Paragon International, the firm that is promoting Roses In The Rain, said another person, identified as Solomon, was also arrested in Mbarara for showing the film in a hall.
The general secretary of the Uganda Performing Right Society, James Wasula, said the Uganda Revenue Authority would start verifying films at the borders and destroy the pirated copies.
Wasula advised video-hall operators to seek permission before translate films into Luganda.
Recently enacted in Parliament, the Copyright Law seems to have started ‘biting’. Last week, Geoffrey Musoke, an employee of Movies and General (M&G) and its owner, only identified as Abubaker, were arrested.
Abubaker had duplicated copies of Roses In The Rain, a film shot in Uganda, starring Ugandans and Nigerians. Abubaker was selling the duplicated copies at sh2,500 each, whereas an original copy was selling at sh5,000.
Officials from the Uganda Federation of Movie Industries (UFMI) and Video World, the copyright owners, stormed M&G on Centre Point Building in Kampala with a court order and policemen.
Musoke was taken to the Central Police Station with the forged DVDs. The Police confiscated the equipment they allegedly use to duplicate CDs.
Emma Onuoha, the director of Paragon International, the firm that is promoting Roses In The Rain, said another person, identified as Solomon, was also arrested in Mbarara for showing the film in a hall.
The general secretary of the Uganda Performing Right Society, James Wasula, said the Uganda Revenue Authority would start verifying films at the borders and destroy the pirated copies.
Wasula advised video-hall operators to seek permission before translate films into Luganda.