The High Court at Adenta led by Judge Mariama Sammo has struck out a lawsuit brought against Mohammed Ismail Sharrif popularly known as Black Sherif, by Cruise People Ltd.
The company accused the musician of not honouring an agreement leading to the cancellation of a concert dubbed ‘Afro Cruise Jam’ for which he had been billed to perform on August 2023 in Athens, Greece.
Black Sherif was billed to perform on a Cruise Ship in Athens, Greece on August 19, 2023. 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 demand 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.
The Promoter, Daniel Vanderpuye, aggrieved by the turn of events, instituted the court action for a number of reliefs including; 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.
