Video entertainment firm MultiChoice and its cyber security business unit, Irdeto, today welcomed the conviction of DStv pirates by the Bellville Regional Court.
The pay-TV giant has over the years lamented the illegal access of its content and products by pirates.
Irdeto provides services and solutions that protect revenue, enable growth and fight cyber crime in video entertainment, video games and connected industries, including transport, health and infrastructure.
In a statement, MultiChoice says the conviction of Lee Whaley, a UK citizen, on 29 November, follows the conviction of Jordan Lee Mott, which took place on 18 November, having been arrested in 2020 for the selling of Android TV Boxes.
Whaley was arrested by detectives from the Provincial Commercial Unit for the selling of Android TV Boxes and IPTV subscriptions in December 2019.
According to MultiChoice, the Android TV Box and IPTV subscriptions allow access to premium copyright-protected content, including DStv content.
The accused appeared in the Bellville Regional Court charged with five counts of contravening section 45 read with section 1 and 51 of the Regulation of Interception of Communication and Provision of Communication – related Information Act 70 of 2002.
He was found guilty of all five counts and sentenced to five years imprisonment which is wholly suspended for a period of five years, on condition that the accused is not again convicted of contravening the provisions of section 45 of Act 70 of 2002, committed during the period of suspension.
In addition, a confiscation order was ordered in terms of section 18 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998 by the court. The accused was ordered to pay R120 000 into the Criminal Asset Recovery Account.
“This is the second conviction this month, so we are pleased with the work that we are doing around piracy,” says Collen Dlamini, group executive for corporate affairs at MultiChoice.
“Our aim is to create awareness on the scourge of piracy and educate the general public of the negative impact of consuming illegal content.
“We would like to applaud law enforcement agencies that ensured these perpetrators have been brought to book and we hope similar convictions will follow as we clamp down on the crime of making our content illegally available via internet streaming pirate boxes.”
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