Black Sheriff
The Cruise People Limited (Your Cruise People), the event company behind the Black Sherif arrest brouhaha has been explaining why the musician was arrested on Wednesday.
In a press statement, it said the artiste and his management frustrated it into canceling its concert in Greece dubbed, Afro Cruise Jam, and it also reported him to the Police.
The company denied earlier publications that he was to perform at its event on July 4, indicating it was rather on August 19.
‘The Kwaku The Traveller’ crooner was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on Wednesday, July 19 evening on his return from a trip.
He was picked up by personnel of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for his failure to honour his side of a contractual obligation ahead of the concert in Greece.
According to Cruise People Limited, it “engaged the management of Mohammed Sharif (Black Sherif) for the artist to perform at the second edition of its musical cruise onboard a cruise ship dubbed Afro Cruise Jam, on August 19, 2023, in Greece. The first edition, which was held last year, featured Grammy awards winner – Gramps Morgan of Morgan Heritage fame and Abrantie Amakye Dede and his Apollo High-Kings. Cruise People Ltd was charged $40,000; and was further agreed between Cruise People Ltd., the artiste, and his booking agents (United Talent Agency a.k.a Echo Location Talent Agency) that an initial payment of $20,000 shall be paid to him to firm up the agreement and in return, he will record a video confirming his participation and availability for the said show on the cruise ship at the agreed dates.”
It continued “The company proceeded to pay the initial deposit via swift bank transfer to his London account as agreed and the artiste acknowledged receipt of payment. Following a series of email correspondences between Cruise People Ltd. and the artist, the company reiterated to him that they needed the video recording of him confirming his performance on the cruise ship on the dates agreed upon and went further to notify him that they had arranged a media engagement with Multimedia Group on Friday 19th May 2023 @ 3pm for which the said video clip announcing his performance and availability for the event on the cruise ship will be broadcasted to elicit enhanced marketability of the event. He unequivocally represented to us that the video clip will be ready even before the broadcast date duly communicated to him and hence they went ahead and paid for the media broadcast.”
“Given the firm assurances from him and his outfit that the video clip will be ready and available for the media broadcast, they went ahead to make deposits and secured cabins on the cruise ship and other incidental arrangements in anticipation of enhanced interests and patronage of purchase of cruise tickets that the media broadcast shall generate.
Regrettably, he failed, refused, and/or neglected to make the video clip available to Cruise People Ltd. to be broadcasted on the 19th of May 2023 @3pm, the time scheduled. The media encounter with the multimedia group was held without the input of the video clip from him announcing his performance at the event contrary to an earlier agreement between them.”
“As a result of his failure to confirm his participation, the cabins on the cruise ship which were paid for and reserved at a discounted price had to be canceled and deposits lost since the expected interests and patronage of the event could not be guaranteed. He deliberately failed to perform his part of the agreement despite several reminders sent to his agents.
The company’s lawyers wrote and informed him, his management, and booking agents on May 23, 2023, about the breach of agreement, and to date, they didn’t reply.
At this point, they had no option than to report his fraudulent actions to the police and proceed to court for redress and seek reliefs,” it explained.