In a recent legal development, the Commercial Division of the High Court issued an interim order preventing Black Market Records Entertainment – SMC LTD, a United States-based record company, from interfering with the music of Ugandan artist Bruno Kiggundu, popularly known as Bruno K.
The court’s decision came in response to Kiggundu’s lawsuit against the record company, Cedric Singleton Lychern, and Kisame Shadrack Shagaf.
The artist alleged that false copyright complaints made by these entities on YouTube had led to the removal of his songs and the disabling of his channel.
Justice Patricia Mutesi, presiding over the case, justified the interim order by expressing concerns about the likelihood of continued copyright claims against Kiggundu’s work. The court recognized the potential harm of more of his songs being struck down from YouTube and other streaming platforms even before the resolution of the substantive application for a temporary injunction.
Remarkably, court records revealed that Black Market Records Entertainment – SMC LTD, as the first respondent, failed to submit any opposing affidavit or rejoinder in the main suit. This lack of response raises questions about the company’s stance and may have influenced the court’s decision in favor of the interim order.
The legal dispute revolves around a one-year exclusive recording artist agreement signed between Kiggundu and Black Market Records LLC on May 12, 2020. The agreement stipulated that the US-based firm would finance the recording and production of Kiggundu’s songs in exchange for exclusive copyright. However, the artist maintains that he only recorded one song during the agreement’s duration and chose not to renew it after its expiration in May 2021.
Source: Daily Monitor