Two software pirates, Hassan Suliman and Amal Rampershad - both from Gauteng - have pleaded guilty to a charge of dealing in counterfeit software and were fined R10 000 each, plus six months imprisonment suspended for four years.
According to the accused, the counterfeit products - valued at about R160 000 - were all purchased from the East Rand Traders Flea Market in Boksburg. They later tried to sell the counterfeit DVDs and games to a video outlet in Knysna and were apprehended by the police.
Mark Reynolds, in charge of Microsoft SA`s anti-piracy and legalisation division, said his team, together with the SA Federation Against Copyright Theft (SAFACT), had been "keeping a close watch" on the East Rand Traders Flea Market in Boksburg - which is where the counterfeit software was purchased. "SAFACT and Microsoft have assisted the police in a number of raids on this particular flea market over the last few months," he said.
Fred Potgieter, the MD of SAFACT, said the counterfeit products seized from Suliman and Rampershad included pre-release film titles, PlayStation games and CD-ROM games, including Flight Simulator 2002. He confirmed that the value of the films and PlayStation games is estimated to be R160 000.
Suliman and Amal Rampershad were arrested on 13 November by a member of the Knysna Criminal Investigation Department while trying to sell pirated DVD films and pirated games to Ultra Video in Knysna.
They were detained overnight and appeared in court on 14 November. The CID, together with experts from the Commercial Crime Unit in Oudtshoorn, investigated the matter, and, after consultation with the Defence Attorneys, the suspects pleaded guilty to the charge of dealing in counterfeit goods.
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