An Accra High Court presided over Justice Laurenda Osei is set to hear a case of plagiarism filed by a Nigerian musician against Kuami Eugene.MyNewsGh.com has confirmed and sighted detailed court documents.
Less than a year after Kuami Eugene released the visuals for his hit banger ‘Show Body’, the lead single for his sophomore album ‘Son of Africa’ featuring the very talented Falz of Nigeria, he has been sued for plagiarism.
According to the plaintiff who goes by the name Ottomi Patrick Akhere popularly known as Oduma Essan, he is a Nigerian ordinarily resident in Ghana and is the original author of “Show body”, a song and music video he released to the public on in July and September respectively.
According to him, he released both the music and the video in Nigeria and subsequently released same in Ghana 30 days later.
About a month after the release, Oduma Essan claims that on or about 9th October 2020, Kuami Eugene without the consent of the plaintiff went ahead and released a music video also titled “Show Body” with literal and technical similarities to his Show Body song.
MyNewsGh.com checks on the song shows Oduma Essan has 8.8k views on the original works while Kuami Eugene’s has 2million views.
Oduma Essan tells the court that Kuami Eugene’s “Show Body” is “largely a reproduction and or duplication” of his original work without his consent.
Particulars of crime
From the court documents sighted by MyNewsGh.com, the plaintiff averred that Kuami Eugene plagiarized the title “Show Body”.
Secondly, Oduma Essan claims he wore a lion dress and went by the title “Lion of Africa” in his picture captured in the clip. Kuami Eugene wore a similar lion dress and identified himself as “Son of Africa” in his clip.
Thirdly, Kuami Eugene is accused of using the Show Body in “low tempo as the hook in his music” whereas the plaintiff used it in high tempo.
Fourth, Essan Oduma used the phrase (sic) “Step to the dancefloor” as a theme in his music video but Kuami Eugene allegedly used “baby step in the circle and dance to the beat” as key in his video.
The plaintiff also said he sang in English and switched to his native ,Nigerian Easa language at selected points. Kuami Eugene also sang in English and switched to Twi at the same points Oduma Essan switched to his Easa language.
According to Oduma Essan, he was beginning to enjoy some YouTube views and fame but all of that ceased the moment Kuami Eugene’s “Show Body” appeared with Falz featuring.
He said Kuami Eugene’s Show Body comes up anytime it is googled instead of his when he is the original author. Before Kuami Eugene duplicated his work, he claims his name and works csme tops and alone.
He is asking for Ghc120,000 in damages being coverage for video production, mixing, sound engineer, and promotion in both Ghana and Nigeria.
Find below links to BOTH videos for assessment
Send your news stories to dannyboy744@gmail.com and via WhatsApp on +233 266777777
