Big Brother Africa – Ghana Rep. … Suite against Vodafon-Ghana continues, will he win?
By Peterking Quaye,Accra, Ghana – Ghana’s Hip-Pop sensation Kwaku T finds himself stack against the odds, in what could potentially be a contemporary rendition of the biblical David and Goliath tale, as he faces a telecommunication giant in a litigation which is by far the biggest test yet for Ghana’s copy right protect laws.
Ghana’s Hip-Pop sensation Kwaku T
The two originally proceeded to prosecute their case in court after Vodafon Ghana became oblivious to letters from their counsels which requested the telecom company to stop using the advert created with their song ‘Move’, which their consent had not been sought.
Vodafon Ghana’s defence is that, they consulted COSGA before using the song but Kwaku T, who is not a member of COSGA, insists that COSGA could not have permitted the use of the song on their behalf. COSGA has refused to testify in the case.
“It’s a landmark case completely alien to Ghana judicial systems. We would be setting a precedent and a moral one at that by winning. If we win the corporate multinational that wants to take advantage of the blood sweat and toil of the artist in Ghana will think twice,” Kwaku T said with conviction. Kwaku T will not relent in becoming the first musician in Ghana to take on a corporate entity in the law courts and win, for the violation of his intellectual property rights.
False reports yesterday suggested that he and his partner in the case, D-Black had been paid off by Vodafon Ghana to withdraw the case from court but Kwaku T has denied this.
What actually emerged yesterday during their court session is that counsel for D-Black said his client has decided to pull out of the case leaving his friend, Kwaku T in the cold. It remains unclear, however, whether his pulling-out was indeed influence by some pay-off.
The Ghana rep at the second edition of Big Brother Africa remains optimistic despite the latest development. In his own words: “The case has taken various twist and turns but we’re on the winning side, if things are handled properly from here on in. They’re just stretching the settlement and being disrespectful at the moment. It’s a joint civil suit and just last week they bought off my co-plaintiff D-Black.”
D-Black is said to have pulled out because he feels his career will be threatened should he continue with the case. His lawyer told an Accra Commercial Court Judge that the case will go on without D-Black since he was not interested in the case.
