Court Dismisses N500M Copyright Lawsuit Against Kcee and E-Money!

• Court Dismisses N500M Copyright Lawsuit Against Kcee and E-Money, ruling against Sir Jude Nnam and dismissing his claim for copyright infringement.
• The judge emphasized that phrases from the Bible cannot be copyrighted, reinforcing the legal stance on religious texts.
• A punitive cost of N1 million was awarded to Kcee and E-Money due to the frivolous nature of the lawsuit, underscoring the court’s disapproval of the claim.
• This case highlights ongoing issues regarding copyright claims in music, particularly those involving religious texts, and raises questions about the protection of creative works.

Newsypeople – The recent court ruling regarding the copyright infringement lawsuit against popular Nigerian singer Kcee and his brother E-Money has stirred significant discussion in the music and legal communities.

A Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a hefty N500 million claim brought forth by Sir Jude Nnam, a gospel music composer, who alleged that Kcee had unlawfully included his song “Som Too Chukwu” in his album “Cultural Praise” without permission.

The court’s decision underscores the complexities surrounding copyright claims in the music industry, particularly when it involves works inspired by religious texts.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Kehinde Ogundare, the court found that Sir Jude Nnam failed to substantiate his claims of copyright infringement. The plaintiff had argued that he was the original composer of “Som Too Chukwu,” which he claimed was incorporated into Kcee’s album without his consent. However, the defense contended that the phrases in question were derived from the Holy Bible, specifically from the Book of Psalms, and thus not subject to copyright protection.

Court dismisses N500m Copyright Infringement suit against musician, KCee, E-Money.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has dismissed an N500m suit instituted against a popular singer, KCee, & 2 others over alleged copyright infringement of the song ‘Som Too Chukwu.’ pic.twitter.com/V3KfZlL7qQ

— Ibadan Watch (@IbadanWatch) October 2, 2024

The judge emphasized that the plaintiff could not claim ownership over phrases that are part of public domain texts. Consequently, the court dismissed the lawsuit entirely and imposed a punitive cost of N1 million against Nnam for bringing forth what was deemed a frivolous case.

Key Points from the Case

Plaintiff’s Allegations: Sir Jude Nnam claimed that Kcee’s song “Som Too Chukwu” was included in his album without authorization and sought damages for alleged copyright infringement.

Defense Argument: Kcee and E-Money argued that they did not produce any songs with those titles and that the phrases cited were biblical references, which cannot be copyrighted.

Court’s Decision: The court ruled in favor of Kcee and E-Money, stating that Nnam did not prove his case and awarded costs against him.

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