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Macheso sues Gramma Records

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SUNGURA maestro, Alick Macheso, has dragged one of the country’s oldest music recording companies, Gramma Records, to the High Court seeking an order compelling the firm to pay him over $15 800 in royalties covering a five-year period.

SUNGURA maestro, Alick Macheso, has dragged one of the country’s oldest music recording companies, Gramma Records, to the High Court seeking an order compelling the firm to pay him over $15 800 in royalties covering a five-year period.

BY CHARLES LAITON

Sungura ace Alick Macheso
Sungura ace Alick Macheso

In the declaration filed on his behalf by his lawyers, Mutuso, Taruvinga and Mhiribidi Attorneys, Macheso claims the recording firm has not paid him his dues from March 2009 to September 2014.

The musician said he composed various albums, which include titles such as Simbaradzo, Zvakanaka Zvakadaro, Vapupuri Pupurai, Magariro and Vakiridzo during the said period.

Macheso said it was part of his agreement with Gramma Records that the latter would sell his compact discs and/or cassettes to various distributors and pay him yearly royalties, depending on the sales done.

“The defendant (Gramma Records) agreed to exploit plaintiff’s (Macheso) musical works after its production through sales of compact discs and or cassettes to various distributors of its choice with the plaintiff entitled yearly payments of royalties depending on the sales done,” Macheso’s lawyers said.

“From March 2009 to September 2014, defendant issued invoices to plaintiff with a total royalty fee amounting to $15 863, which amount remain outstanding to date. Despite various demands, defendant has failed and/or refused to pay the plaintiff the sum of $15 863.”

The sungura musician also said he was demanding payment of interest at the prescribed rate from the date of demand to the date of full payment, including costs of the suit on a legal and practitioner scale, as well as collection commission.

However, Gramma Records, through its lawyers Kanokanga and Partners, entered its appearance to defend notice and is geared to challenge Macheso’s claim as and when the matter would be set down for hearing.