Black Sherif
Cruise People Limited, an event organising company has dragged musician Black Sherif, known in private life as Mohammed Ismail Sharrif, to court for failing to honour his commitment to an agreement to perform on a cruise show dubbed ‘Afro Cruise Jam’.
The company is demanding a refund of $88,000 and another GH¢65,000 it lost as a result of the musician’s failure to honour his part of the agreement.
The suit avers that the Artiste of the Year was expected to perform on a cruise ship next month but failed to make available a promotional video as part of the agreement although he had been paid $20,000 forming half of his fees.
The show was subsequently cancelled by the organisers as a result of the musician’s alleged failure to make available the video promoting the event.
Black Sherif was picked up at the Kotoka International Airport last Thursday after he was reported to the police on allegations of fraud.
Reports indicated he was taken to the Police Headquarters where he was questioned after immigration officers handed him over to the police after he was stopped at the airport.
Suit
The suit avers that Cruise People Limited on April 18, 2023, executed an agreement with Black Sherif in which he agreed to be the headline artiste and perform on the Afro Cruise Jam to be held in Greece.
It said per the agreement, the company was to pay the artiste $40,000 with half of that money already paid to him as part of the agreement and the half to be paid four weeks prior to him performing on the cruise.
The suit said as part of Black Sherif’s obligations, he was required to record a video clip announcing his participation in the event, a video which was to be played on Joy FM’s Drive Time, which the company had made a part payment of GH¢65,000 for.
The company said it went ahead to deposit $18,000 to procure cabins on the ship in anticipation of the interest and patronage of the cruise tickets that the media broadcast of Black Sherif’s video clip would generate.
The suit said the musician reneged on his promise to record the video clip hence it was not available for broadcast, leading to the cancellation of the event thereby costing the company the $18,000 it paid in booking the ship and another $50,000 it expected as profit from hosting the show.
The suit is, therefore, asking the court to order Black Sherif to refund the $20,000 that was paid to him as half payment for his performance as well as profit accrued on the money starting from April 18, 2023 up to the date of final payment.
It also wants the musician to pay the plaintiff $18,000 being the money lost in securing the cabins in the cruise ship and another $50,000 being lost profits occasioned by the musician’s breach of the agreement.
Again, the suit wants the court to order Black Sherif to pay the company the GH¢65,000 which was paid to the Multimedia Group with the sole purpose of advertising the video clip the musician failed to make available.
It is also asking for general damages for breach of contract, costs inclusive of legal fees.
By Gibril Abdul Razak