Mzbel has taken the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to court claiming damages of 600 million Cedis for her mistreatment during a programme on the University campus in October last year.
The suit filed last Wednesday January 18 at an Accra High Court by Mzbel and her managers, Goodies Music Production is against KNUST as first defendant: The Vice Chancellor as the second defendant, the College of Art as third defendant.
The rest are Alex Dapaah, Aaron Edusah Poku and Theodore Djokoto all students of the university as fourth, fifth and sixth defendants.
In a statement of claim, Mzbel and Goodies, the plaintiffs say that by a performance contract entered with them and an invitation by the 2nd defendant to perform and to enable them celebrate their Art Society week to be climaxed by a live musical performance, the 1st plaintiff, Mzbel amongst other musical artistes and performers were scheduled and invited to perform on the night of October 1, 2005 at the KNUST campus, Kumasi.
"The plaintiffs shall contend that the arrangement, safety and security of the venue and that of artistes before during and after the live performance, devolved absolutely on the 1st and 2nd defendants.
"By this invitation and performance contract executed, any failures or omissions on their part shall result in a vicarious liability to them."
The plaintiffs say that "while the 1st plaintiff was performing live on stage reserved for the artistes, without any invitation, provocation and permission, a number of male students invaded the stage and in their frenzy without any provocation violently assaulted the 1st plaintiff which assault can best be described as sexual by all imagination."
"The particulars of the assault in the suit include tearing of the trousers worn by Mzbel on stage and making her naked, inserting fingers into her private part by Alex Dapaah, Aaron Edusah Poku and Theodore Djokoto respectively, an indiscriminate fondling of her breast and a cut on her face, scratches on her body and excruciating pains on her body".
Mzbel and her managers are therefore claiming damages for brutal sexual and indecent assault and attack on her, damages for degrading her womanhood and her gender as a performer.
They are also claiming damages for the "traumatized effects on Mzbel by the physical cut and the pains she suffered, damages for the failure and omissions of KNUST and the Vice Chancellor to guarantee protection and security to Mzbel and Goodies Music Production".
The claim ends with demands for "appropriate sanctions on Alex Dapaah, Aaron Edusah Poku and Theodore Djokoto, payment of fees to Mzbel and Goodies Productions' lawyers in the suit and costs".
Some male students of KNUST allegedly assaulted Mzbel after she performed during a faculty concert at the University in October last year.
The incident raised considerable uproar in the media and was condemned by a number of women groups and organizations such as Abantu for Development, the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs, FIDA Ghana, MUSIGA, Coalition on Domestic Violence Bill and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
But a report by a student fact-finding committee that investigated the incident said Mzbel and her three dancers made lewd gestures that may have pushed the students to misbehave.
Copyright © 1994 - 2024 GhanaWeb. All rights reserved.
