By Precious D. Freeman
The Commercial Court of Liberia has officially shut down the headquarters of Sat-Con Liberia, a digital satellite company based in Congo Town, following a Supreme Court ruling that found the company guilty of violating intellectual property and content rights.
The court’s decision stems from a February 18, 2025, ruling by the Supreme Court, which determined that Sat-Con illegally aired exclusive sports content, including English Premier League and La Liga matches, without authorization from the rights holder, Consolidated Group DSTV-Liberia.
In the Supreme Court’s enforcement order, it stated that the evidence overwhelmingly showed Sat-Con’s deliberate violation of DSTV’s broadcasting rights.
“The evidence overwhelmingly establishes that the 1st Appellee knowingly and with impunity violated the content rights of the appellant’s principal without authority, to the injury and detriment of the appellant,” the ruling read.
The court order explicitly prohibits Sat-Con from broadcasting protected content, stating, “Failure to adhere to this order shall subject you to Contempt of Court pursuant to law.” The directive, signed and sealed on May 16, 2025, gives legal authority for the enforcement and closure of Sat-Con’s operations.
This landmark case was filed by Consolidated Group, a media firm managed by politician and businessman Simeon Freeman, who also leads the Movement for Progressive Change (MPC). The complaint accused Sat-Con, along with K3 Telecom, of pirating premium content owned by DSTV.
According to Freeman’s Consolidated Group, the unauthorized airing of its content by Sat-Con led to an estimated financial loss of over US$5.1 million.
The loss includes subscription revenue, advertiser support, and contractual penalties from international media partners.
The Supreme Court found that Sat-Con’s actions not only violated Liberian intellectual property laws but also breached international content protection agreements to which the country is a signatory. As such, the court handed down a firm ban against any further broadcasting of the protected content.
Legal experts say the ruling sends a strong message to other media entities and content providers in Liberia, emphasizing that piracy and unauthorized broadcasting will not be tolerated under national and international law.
The court’s intervention culminated in the physical closure of Sat-Con’s offices on Friday by court officers, who enforced the Supreme Court’s final judgment and affixed court seals to the company’s premises, effectively suspending all operations.
Sat-Con has yet to issue a public response following the court’s action. Attempts by media outlets to obtain a statement from company representatives were unsuccessful as the offices remained locked and phones unanswered.
Simeon Freeman, speaking to reporters after the court’s decision was enforced, applauded the judiciary for what he described as a victory for intellectual property rights and lawful business practices. “We are pleased that the rule of law has prevailed,” he said.
Freeman added that the case is not just about money, but about protecting content creators and legal broadcasters in Liberia.
He warned that similar actions would be taken against any other company found guilty of infringing on broadcasting rights.
The case marks one of the most high-profile intellectual property disputes in Liberia’s recent history and could serve as a precedent for future enforcement of digital content rights in the country.
