By Edem Latsu Nukafu
A case filed by Cruise People Ltd against Ghanaian superstar, Black Sherif has been thrown out by an Accra High Court.
The firm had accused the “Soja” hit crooner of refusing to honor an agreement leading to the cancellation of a concert titled ‘Afro Cruise Jam’ for which he had been contracted to perform on the shores of Athens in Greece on August 2023.
The plaintiff (Cruise People) asserted that the halting had caused them to incur costs, which they sought to be awarded against Black Sherif.
The defendant (Black Sherif)’s attorneys claimed that the court had no authority to determine the case because his contract stipulates that any legal proceedings will take place in the United Kingdom.
The attorney of Cruise People Limited challenged this claim, asserting that the court had authority to handle the case since both parties are Ghanaians who practice their professions in Ghana.
The court, presided over by Judge Mariama Sammo, agreed with the attorneys for the Konongo-birthed talent.
The judge’s decision on Thursday, November 16 stated that none of the addresses given by the contract performer were located in Ghana.
Due to this, the court had no choice but to dismiss the case against the award-winning music star.
● Background
The plaintiff requested that Black Sherif be booked for the cruise ship performance, and the singer’s agents, who are a leading international company that represents artists, athletes, and brands across the globe, complied.
According to sources, the complainant paid the musician’s agency an initial deposit of $20,000 out of the $40,000 booking fee.
The contract did not mandate the creation of promotional videos for a press launch in advance of the upcoming event.
In an unusual twist, the cruise organizer and businessman put pressure on the agents to provide promotional videos from Black Sherif, threatening to cancel the contract if the videos were not submitted, which was breaching the contract.
Despite the threats of canceling the contract and lawsuits, the singer’s agents chose to refund the initial deposit in good faith because the contract did not have any clause that required promotional videos.
Black Sherif’s agents deemed the complainant’s request to receive $50,000 instead of the $20,000 fee as unfair and inconsistent, according to the source.
This resulted in more threats from the businessman and his subsequent decision to report the matter to the police, alleging breach of contract and fraud.
Writer’s email: edemlatsu093@gmail.com
edem-latsu-nukafu
