Accra, April 23, GNA - The Global Media Alliance, media consultants and partners of Nu Metro Film Distribution Limited, had advised churches and communities showing pirated versions of Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ movie to desist from it or face prosecution.

In a press statement issued in Accra on Thursday, the Company said it had come to its notice that some churches and community groups have been showing pirated copies of the film to their members. It warned that sellers, buyers and screeners of the pirated copies were liable, as their action constituted "piracy of intellectual property" which was against the law.

The statement advised groups that were interested in "having a collective screening of the movie" to contact Global Media Alliance for discussions.

A covering letter on the release stated that Nu Metro Film Distribution Limited, a South African company with its subsidiary in Nairobi, Kenya has a distribution agreement with Twentieth Century Fox Film Company of London.

"The agreement includes the licensed territories of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria and Ghana for the purpose of the rights to Theatrical Distribution, Theatrical Exhibition, Non-Theatrical Distribution and Non-Theatrical Exhibition."