Black Sheriff stopped at Kotoka Airport - Police source

A police source has confirmed to Graphic Online that musician Black Sherrif was stopped on Wednesday night following a complaint of fraud against him by Cruise People Limited (Your Cruise People).

Black Sherrif was stopped at the Kotoka International Airport when he arrived in Accra and was sent to the police headquarters, the source said.

He was expected to perform on a cruise starting August 19, 2023 and has reportedly been paid half of the fees but not been available for "promo" for the show.

The show has subsequently been cancelled by the organisers.

The action of the artiste was reported to the police and he was placed on the "stop list" at the airport, and so when he arrived on Wednesday, evening, he was stopped and sent to the police headquarters.

The management of Black Sheriff is yet to comment on the development.

Attached below a copy of a press statement by Cruise People Limited

Cruise People Limited (Your Cruise People) engaged the management of Mohammed Sharrif (Black Sherrif) for the artist to perform at the second edition of its musical cruise onboard a cruise ship dubbed Afro Cruise Jam, on August 19, 2023 in Greece.  

The first edition, which was held last year, featured Grammy awards winner - Gramps Morgan of Morgan Heritage fame and Abrantie Amakye Dede and his Apollo High-Kings.

Cruise People Ltd was charged Forty Thousand United States Dollars ($40,000); and was further agreed between Cruise People Ltd., the artiste and his booking agents (United Talent Agency a.k.a Echo Location Talent Agency) that an initial payment of Twenty Thousand United States Dollars ($20,000) shall be paid to him to firm up the agreement and in return he will record a video confirming his participation and availability for the said show on the cruise ship at the agreed dates.

The company proceeded to pay the initial deposit via swift bank transfer to his London account as agreed and the artiste acknowledged receipt of payment.  

Following a series of email correspondences between Cruise People Ltd. and artist, the company reiterated to him that they needed the video recording of him confirming his performance on the cruise ship on the dates agreed upon and went further to notify him that they had arranged a media engagement with Multimedia Group on Friday 19th May, 2023 @ 3pm for which the said video clip announcing his performance and availability for the event on the cruise ship will be broadcasted to elicit enhanced marketability of the event.

He unequivocally represented to us that the video clip will be ready even before the broadcast date duly communicated to him and hence they went ahead and paid for the media broadcast.

Given the firm assurances from him and his outfit that the video clip will be ready and available for the media broadcast, they went ahead to make deposits and secured cabins on the cruise ship and other incidental arrangements in anticipation of enhanced interests and patronage of purchase of cruise tickets that the media broadcast shall generate.  

Regrettably, he failed, refused and / or neglected to make the video clip available to Cruise People Ltd. to be broadcasted on the 19th May, 2023 @3 pm, the time scheduled. The media encounter with multimedia group was held without the input of the video clip from him announcing his performance at the event contrary to earlier agreement between them.  

As a result of his failure to confirm his participation, the cabins on the cruise ship which were paid for and reserved at a discounted price had to be cancelled and deposits lost since the expected interests and patronage of the event could not be guaranteed. He deliberately failed to perform his part of the agreement despite several reminders sent to his agents. 

The company’s lawyers wrote and informed him, his management and booking agents on May 23, 2023 about the breach of agreement and till date, they didn’t reply. 

At this point, they had no option than to report his fraudulent actions to the police and proceed to court for redress and seek reliefs.

more to follow...