On November 16, 2023, the High Court at Adenta dismissed a lawsuit filed by Cruise People Ltd. against musician Mohammed Ismail Sharrif, popularly known as Black Sherif. The case revolved around an alleged breach of a performance contract by Black Sherif’s team.
The dispute arose when Black Sherif was slated to perform on a Cruise Ship in Athens, Greece, on August 19, 2023. The promoter, Daniel Vanderpuje of Cruise People Ltd., unilaterally terminated the contract before the scheduled date, citing publicity breaches. Subsequently, Vanderpuje demanded a refund of the $20,000 deposit from Black Sherif.
Black Sherif’s team resisted the deposit refund demand, asserting that Cruise People Ltd. was responsible for terminating the contract. Black Sherif contended that he was entitled to compensation for the contract’s unilateral termination. In response, Vanderpuje took legal action, seeking a refund of the deposit, interest, compensation for loss of revenue and profits, general damages for breach of contract, and costs.
Black Sherif’s legal team, represented by Dominic Brenya-Otchere, Kenneth PaaKwesi Agyir, and Esther Addai of Sam Okudzeto and Associates, argued that the contract’s dispute resolution clause specified the United Kingdom as the exclusive venue for settling disputes. The court, in an October 19, 2023 order, instructed the parties to submit written arguments within two weeks, setting the matter for a ruling on November 16, 2023.
In the ruling, the High Court judge granted Black Sherif’s application to strike out the suit, emphasizing that the dispute’s subject matter was not closely connected to Ghana. The judge concluded that both parties intended to resolve any disputes in the UK and therefore dismissed the plaintiff’s writ and statement of claim.
Consequently, there is currently no pending lawsuit against Black Sherif in Ghana related to the contract with Cruise People Ltd. A source close to Black Sherif suggested that if Cruise People Ltd. pursues legal action in the proper forum, they will counterclaim for the full contract sum, interest, and damages for breach of contract. Notably, Black Sherif was represented by his legal team, while Cruise People Ltd. was represented by Lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamekloe, the Director of Legal Affairs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
