Court dismisses case against Black Sherif over Cruise People saga

An Accra High Court has dismissed a case brought against Ghanaian musician, Black Sherif, by Cruise People Ltd.

The company had accused the artist of breaching an agreement that led to the cancellation of a concert called 'Afro Cruise Jam,' where he was scheduled to perform in Athens, Greece, in August 2023.

Cruise People claimed that the cancellation resulted in financial losses for which they sought compensation from Black Sherif.

In response, Black Sherif's legal team argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, as the performance contract specified that any legal proceedings should occur in the United Kingdom.

Despite Cruise People insisting that the court had jurisdiction since both parties were Ghanaians operating in Ghana, the court, led by Judge Mariama Sammo, sided with Black Sherif's lawyers.

The judge emphasized that none of the addresses provided by the party engaging the artist were situated in Ghana. As a result, the court had no alternative but to dismiss the case against the acclaimed music star.

Background:

Cruise People Limited, the company embroiled in a contractual dispute with Ghanaian musician Black Sherif, some months ago took legal action against the artiste.

The lawsuit, submitted at the High Court, alleged that Black Sherif failed to uphold his end of the bargain, leading to the cancellation of the highly-anticipated Afro Cruise Jam concert, where he was slated to perform in Greece.

According to Cruise People Limited, they had secured Black Sherif ’s services for the cruise event by paying half of his booking fee, which amounted to $20,000.

As part of the agreement, they expected him to record a video confirming his participation in the event.

However, the artiste reportedly did not fulfill this aspect of the agreement, resulting in the cancellation of the booking and a significant financial loss of $18,000 incurred from reserving cabins on the cruise ship.

The organizers said Black Sherif’s failure to confirm his participation placed the entire event at risk, as his presence was deemed essential in attracting patrons.

In light of what they perceive as a fundamental breach of the agreement, Cruise People Limited has sought legal redress to the matter.

The lawsuit seek the reimbursement of the $20,000 booking fee, as well as the compensation of $18,000 to cover the costs of the lost cabin bookings.

Additionally, the company is requesting interest on the $20,000 from April 18, 2023, until the final payment date. Furthermore, Cruise People Limited is pursuing $50,000 in lost profits attributed to the alleged breach of contract.

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