Runtown risks being jailed

Singer Runtown has reportedly received a court summons to defend himself after he defied a Contempt Warning from Court which was served to him by his former record label Eric Many.

The singer is now scheduled to appear before an Abuja High Court on the 8th August 2018 to explain and give reasons to the court as to why he should not be sent to prison for disobeying Court Injunction made on 10th May 2018.

A statement by his former label Eric Many concerning the matter reads thus; ‘‘recall that we served a Contempt Warning from Court on Runtown on 4th July 2018 after he defied Court Order and released a song. Rather than heed the Contempt Warning and retrace his steps, he issued a Press Release in which he argued that the Injunction had expired. The Injunction was to stop things until the hearing of our Motion seeking to freeze activities until a decision on his status (whether he had discharged his obligations to us or not) is taken. It barred him from performing or releasing songs for the time being’.

‘‘The legal advice we received was that Runtown was wrong in his interpretation of the Rules of Court he relied on since he was already served with our Motion and was represented in Court on 31st May, 2018 when the Court adjourned to 27th September 2018 to hear the Motion and the one filed by Runtown himself! To turn around after that day to proceed to do what the Order barred him from doing, and what the Motion served on him (adjourned in his presence) seeks to stop, is unjustifiable under the 7-Days Rule he relied upon. That could probably apply to a person against whom an interim injunction was obtained without more’.

Read also: After protracted court cases and threat to life, Runtown, Eric Many officially part ways

‘‘Based on this, we have done two things: One, we have obtained a ‘FORM 49’ against him to explain why he should not be sent to prison, especially when he continued to publicize fixtures for shows in Canada, Namibia, Europe etc and threaten to release more songs, both actions in defiance of the Court Order. The application (now fixed for 8th August) has been served on him in the Punch as ordered by the Court. Two, since we will not allow him to continue to mock the Court Order we have applied and obtained a new Injunction to stop his actions to protect the Contempt Case. The new injunction bars him from his threatened defiant actions in Canada, Namibia, and Europe etc. We believe the new Injunction has not also ‘expired’ and hope he respects the Court this time.

‘‘Please bear in mind that our main case in Court boils down to whether Runtown has discharged his monetary obligations to us and delivered one Album to us as spelt out in our Contract. He has responded, so it will be good to allow the Court to decide what each party filed. Let both sides apply restraint. As we always say, Eric Many Limited will continue to follow the judicial process. We have confidence in the Rule of Law and will continue to patiently follow the due process until the wrong done to us by Runtown after our heavy investment in him is redressed.’’

The latest development is coming after Runtown officially severed ties with Eric Many Entertainment following the expiration of his contract ending a torrid time with the record label.

The artiste who is now exclusively managed and represented by Soundgod Music Group issued a statement announcing the expiration of his contract ending an experience strewn with protracted court cases over constant breach of contract, irreconcilable differences and threat to his life.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now