Court grants leave to EHealth Africa to amend defence statement

A Federal High Court sitting in Sokoto on Thursday granted leave to EHealth Africa System to amend its defence statement in an N100 million infringement of copyrights suit filed by Dr Aminu Shehu against the organisation.

The trial judge, Justice Saleh Idrissa, granted the application prayed by the Defence Counsel, Mr Bassey Ewang which was also not opposed by Shehu’s Counsel Mr Muhammad Sambo.

However, following the development, Sambo applied for an adjournment to enable him to respond to the amended defence statement.

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Justice Idrissa adjourned the case until April 8, for hearing.

NAN reports that Shehu, a Medical Doctor in Sokoto State, dragged EHealth Africa System to court over alleged copyright violations.

In his statement of claim, Shehu claimed that he was the original owner of a literary work “Supervising Every Team” (SET) which he created since 2013 and registered by Nigeria Copyright Commission as number LW3590.

The Plaintiff said the work was being used for the supervision and monitoring of polio vaccinations staff everywhere they might be, in order to determine if they were real staff trained to do the work.

He alleged that he made presentations on the idea in Kano and Abuja during incident manager’s review meeting the defendant was present which made it to easily copy and infringe upon his copyright.

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He urged the Federal High Court to declare him the original owner of the registered literary work and the acts done or permitted to be done by the defendant as void.

The Plaintiff averred that the use of SET without his consent or permission and authorization constituted an act of infringement of his copyright.

He also sought an order of injunction restraining the defendant forthwith whether by itself, servants, agents, privies or otherwise from further infringing on his right.

He also demanded N100 million as general damages.