Adenta High court has struck out a lawsuit brought against Ghanaian artist Mohammed Ismail Sharrif popularly known as Black Sherif, by Cruise People Ltd based on an alleged breach of a performance contract by the accused team.
The Promoter, Daniel Vanderpuye, aggrieved by the turn of events, instituted the court action for; a refund of the deposit paid, interest on the said amount, compensation for loss of revenue and profits, general damages for breach of contract, and costs. Black Sherif’s legal team; Dominic Brenya-Otchere esq., Kenneth Paa Kwesi Agyir esq. and Esther Addai esq. of Sam Okudzeto and Associates, entered conditional appearance and filed an application to strike out the suit on grounds that the dispute resolution clause in the contract stipulated that any dispute arising out of the contract shall be settled exclusively in the United Kingdom. On October 19, 2023, the Court ordered the parties to file written submissions, within two weeks, and adjourned the matter to the 16th day of November 2023 for ruling.
The learned High Court Judge, granted Black Sherif’s application, and noted that the subject matter of the dispute was not closely connected to Ghana. The judge was of the view that, the parties for all intents and purposes, wanted all disputes arising thereto to be resolved in the UK, and therefore struck out the Plaintiff’s writ and statement of claim as the action had been commenced in the wrong forum. So as it stands now, there is no suit pending against Black Sherif in respect of the contract between him and the Cruise People Ltd. A source close to Black Sherif intimated that if Cruise People Ltd. commences any action in the proper forum, they will counterclaim for the full contract sum, interest, and damages for breach of contract. The Plaintiff was represented by Lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamekloe, the Director of Legal Affairs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
BACKGROUND
Black Sherif was billed to perform on a Cruise Ship in Athens, Greece on August 19, 2023 by the Cruise People.
However, before the scheduled date for the show, the contract was unilaterally terminated by the promoter; Daniel Vanderpuje of Cruise People Ltd., alleging publicity breaches. Subsequent to the termination of the contract, the promoter demanded a refund of the deposit of US$ 20,000 from Black Sherif.
The Cruise People Ltd.’s demand for the deposit was resisted by Black Sherif’s team on the basis that the contract was terminated by the Cruise People. Black Sherif insisted that he was entitled to compensation for the unilateral termination of the contract.
