Piracy: Court Slams N5m Against Shina Peters' Son, Clarence

Justice Cecilia Mojisola Olatoregun of a Federal High Court in Lagos has awarded the sum of N5 million against the son of Juju maestro, Sir Shina Peters, Clarence, for piracy.

Justice Olatoregun slammed the judgment on Clarence, who is a film producer, trading under the name: 'Capital Dreams Picture', for using an art work belonging to other musicians without permission.

The judgment sum, according to the judge, is to be paid to the duo of Uwana Victor and Victor Akan, who trade under the name and style of 'Black Alliance' who Clarence was accused of their using musical work titled: 'Make Money Flow’ in a film without a written consent from them.

Uwana and Victor in a suit marked FHC/IKJ/CS/124/2011 have approached the court through their lawyer, Yemi Omodele, seeking a court declaration that they are the sole owners of the copyright of a work titled: 'Make money flow’, and a declaration that the use and/or pirating of the second track of their video ‘Make Money Flow’ into Waconzy‘s ‘l celebrate’ video by the defendant without their knowledge is illegal, null and void, and thereby amounts to the infringement of their copyrights.

They also sought an order of the court restraining Clarence, his servants, agents and/or privies from further using part or the whole of the musical audio/video titled ‘Make Money Flow’ in any other work of art without their written consent.

The musicians also seek an order of the court directing him to pay them the sum of N40 million as compensation and general damages for the use of clips and extracts from the ‘Make Money Flow’ video which was done without their authority and/or consent.

In response to the suit, Clarence filed a statement of defence and a written address through his lawyer, Babajide Owoyomi, urging the court to dismiss the two musicians' suit against him for lacking in merit.

However, delivering judgment in the suit, Justice Olatoregun, after citing plethora of authorities, dismissed Clarence's statement of defence and written address.

Upon dismissing Peters' statement of defence and written address, the Justice ordered him to pay the sum of N5 million as compensation and general damages.

The judge also ordered that the two musicians remain the sole owner of the musical work titled: 'Make Money Flow', and also restrained Clarence from using the musicians work without their consent.