A London based Ghanaian musician, Smart Nkansah, has instructed his lawyers to institute legal action against the top hiplife artiste, Lord Kenya for plagiarizing.
The hip-life artiste according to Smart Nkansah, has used lyrics from “Hwehwe Odo akyi kan” for which he, Smart holds the copyright.
The plagiarlized item allegedly features prominently in Lord Kenya’s current hit song “Baby Nayoka.”
Smart Nkansah who is the leader of the defunct Sumsum Mystic Band is therefore claiming ? 400 million as damages from Lord Kenya for breaching the copyright law.
A letter fired by Bram-Larbi, Beecham and Co, legal practitioners and notaries public, upon the instructions of Smart Nkansah, of the Sumsum Mystic Band “our clients are the copyright owners and indeed the writer of the song “Hwehwe Odo akyi Kwan: a very popular hit which was recorded some decades ago”.
The letter pointed out that “we are further instructed to say that without the knowledge, consent nor permission whatever of our client your artiste Lord Kenya, has unlawfully and illegally used the music score of our client to record and sell his song “ Baby Nayoka”, which naturally has, become an instant hit not only in Ghana but beyond.”
The letter which was addressed to the producer of Lord Kenya, Mount Kenya Records and copied to Lord Kenya and Smart Nkansah, further stated that since Lord Kenya’s action was unlawful, “we have accordingly been instructed to claim which we hereby so do, the sum of ?400million as damages for your reprehensible conduct in breaching the copyright of our clients.”
Without offering Mount Kenya Records the chance or opportunity to deny the allegation or offer some kind of explanation, the letter signed by Mr. Bram-Larbi directed that a cheque in settlement should be made to Bram-Larbi Beecham and Co. client account within 10 days of date of issue of the letter.
It warned that failure to pay the amount will result in legal action, “without any further reference to you,” ominously ending, “we believe you will wish to avoid the embarrassment.”
