Nigerian caught pirating NLA work

Page 3: Daily Graphic, September 19, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A 34-YEAR-OLD Nigerian has been arrested by the police for allegedly pirating the work of the National Lottery Authority (NLA).
Forty-seven pieces of electronic machine allegedly used for the writing of the NLA numbers, billboards of Richwell Plaza Lotto of Nigeria and other items were retrieved from the residence-cum-office of the suspect, Mbadiwe Chigogie, at Avenor in Accra.
The suspect claims Richwell Plaza Lotto of Nigeria of which he is a contract member of staff, has been licensed by the NLA to operate as a member of the Lotto Receivers Union of the NLA in Accra and Koforidua.
However, the NLA says there is no documentation that the company has even operated for a day since the receivers union numbers were given to the company about two months ago.
Although the suspect claimed that the Richwell Plaza Lotto of Nigeria had not started operating but was only test running the machines, the NLA said it had evidence that the company was pirating on its numbers.
Briefing newsmen in Accra on Friday, September 18, 2009, the Accra South Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Kofi Dwumfour-Berchie, said the police had information that Chigogie was holding a forum for some members of the Lotto Writers Association at Abeka.
He said when the police went to the venue of the forum, the suspect was found with eight of the machines demonstrating how the writers could use them.
He said the suspect had portrayed himself as an authorised agent of the NLA to distribute the machines to would-be users.
Chief Supt. Dwumfour-Berchie said prior to the forum, the NLA had lodged a complaint that some writers were using different machines to pirate numbers drawn by the NLA.
He said when the suspect led the police to his office, 39 other machines were retrieved.
He said the suspect has since been remanded to re-appear in court on September 23, 2009.
Investigations continue.