Kwame Ampadu, Other 100 Musicians Sue Entire GHAMRO Board

The Human Rights High Court in Accra has asked counsel for legendary hi-life musician, Nana Kwame Ampadu and 100 others, who have sued the interim Ghana Music Right Organization (GHAMRO) board, to sue the entire board and not a selected few. Nana Kwame Ampadu and the 100 musicians, composers, song writers, music producers and music rights owners have accused Carlos Sakyi, Chairman of (GHAMRO), of embezzling funds collected on behalf of music rights owners in Ghana.They filed the suit on Thursday, May 15, 2014. According to the writ of summons, Carlos Sakyi and other GHAMRO Board members including Amandzeba Nat Brew, K.K. Kabobo and Mark Okraku Mantey �have deliberately refused to organise even a single Annual General Meeting (AGM) since May 2011 when they took office as interim Board Members. Counsel for the plaintiffs urged the court to ask the accused to render accounts of the monies collected, they must organise an AGM, and the board should be dissolved for an interim board to be constituted to organise general elections for a permanent board within six months. The trial judge, Justice Essel Mensah stated that the plaintiff must sue the 12-member board and not only four of the board members because if the board must go, everybody must go with them. He therefore urged that other members of the board - Kojo Antwi, John Mensah Sarpong, Akwesi Agyepong, Ahmed Banda (Bandex), Bice Osei Kuffour (Obour), Daniel Adjei (Dan Ray), Abebe Kakraba, and Mary Ghansah - should be given the opportunity to also defend themselves in court. The case was adjourned to June 20.