Two arrested for providing illegal internet services in Nairobi

Two men, with links to Internet Service Provider (ISP) Lime Fiber Internet, have been arrested for allegedly providing illegal internet services in Nairobi County.

The pair were apprehended following an operation, spearheaded by the Partners Against Piracy Association of Kenya (PAP) and the Kenya Police Cybercrime and Crime Scene Forensic Units, targeting illegal Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the County.  

The operation resulted in the seizure of tools employed in the unlawful activities, which encompassed 5 mobile phones, 2 VOIP headsets, 3 CPUs, 12 hard drives, 1 laptop, 4 internet switches and 1 optical line terminal.

"This intervention has disrupted the illegal services provided to approximately 3,000 subscribers in the Kasarani-Mwiki- Santon areas, who were illegally accessing premium content, such as English Premier League (EPL), WWC and La Liga live sports through the WeCast App," PAP said in a statement to newsrooms.

"The investigations revealed that the WeCast App is installed on the client's mobile phone or digital television upon subscription to Lime Fiber internet, where login details are provided by the perpetrators."  

PAP added that such illegal activity robs rightful owners of their deserved income and affects the overall investment in producing quality content.

"This illicit activity deprives rightful owners of their due revenue, and impacts the overall investment in quality content creation," said PAP. 

"Additionally, it creates unfair competition for other ISPs, Video On Demand services and Broadcasters, operating within the legal framework, by adhering to copyright laws and ethical business practices, as well as paying taxes."

According to Section 36 (6) of the Copyright Act, copyright infringement is a criminal offence that attracts a fine of a maximum of Ksh. 800,000 and/or Imprisonment not exceeding 10 years.