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Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
JACARANDA Media Group (PVT) LTD has refuted claims by Norton based Zimdacehall artiste Tafadzwa Mwandira popularly known as Celscius that they owe him $10 500 over unpaid music royalties.
In his declaration filed at the High Court, Mwandira through his lawyer Mr Arshiel Mugiya cited
Jacaranda Media Group (PVT) LTD a United Kingdom based company that is also registered in Zimbabwe as the first defendant, Distrohive Digital Music (PVT) LTD a United Kingdom based company that is registered and based in Zimbabwe as the second defendant.
In a press statement Jacaranda Media group said the artiste’s claim was characterised by falsehoods and was also misfiled.
“What we acknowledge is that Celscius aka Tafadzwa Mwandira is a Jacaranda Media Group artiste and is signed on a five year talent and development and distribution deal until 2024.
“We rubbish as false the claims that Mwandira accumulated his royalties to the sum of US$16 000 and has not recieved renumeration for it,” reads the statement.
They claimed that Mwandira’s deal was negotiated by one of the industry’s most respected practitioners meaning that this deal was very healthy on his part.
“Mwandira was given an open cheque in advance to finance the marketing audio production and visual production of his future projects extending to cater for his daily needs,” reads the press statement.
The Media Group also added that they believe that a third hand is at hand for ill advising the artiste.
“Two months ago he parted ways with his manager and also demanded to be released from his contract with us, we informed him that it was impossible for us to release him due to the nature of investment which had been plugged into his brand,reads the statement.
Jacaranda Media Group also claimed that Mwandira took matters into his own hands and used another competitor distributor to distribute his music.
“Our compliance team immediately reported his breach of contract to all international rights organisations and the distribution outlet and his release was halted and removed for breach off contract,” reads the statement.
They also stated that it was a lie that Mwandira was stripped of his rights and ownership of his songs by Jacaranda Media Group.
” According to our accounts records, Mwandira’s album Tsano veMbare grossed only US$216,77 since it’s release in 2019,” reads the statement.
Online Reporter