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ECOWAS Court Dismisses Shatta Wale’s Discrimination Claim Against Ghanaian Gaming Commission
ECOWAS Court Dismisses Shatta Wale’s Discrimination Claim Against Ghanaian Gaming Commission
The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has delivered its judgment in Case No. ECW/CCJ/APP/25/24, Charles Nii Armah Mensah v. Republic of Ghana and Gaming Commission, dismissing the discrimination claim brought by the award-winning Ghanaian musician known professionally as Shatta Wale.
The Court on Friday ruled against the Applicant, citing his failure to provide sufficient evidence of differential treatment, lack of proof regarding correspondence with the gaming company in question, and failure to disclose the identity of the gaming company central to the case.
Mr. Charles Nii Armah Mensah, an award-winning musician, recording artist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist known professionally as Shatta Wale, alleged that his right to non-discrimination was violated when he was prevented from securing an endorsement deal with a gaming company in Ghana.
The Applicant claimed that his established social status and professional achievements had earned him recognition and endorsement opportunities for various products and services within and outside Ghana. However, he alleged that a potential endorsement deal was terminated because of Guideline VII of Ghana’s Advertising Guidelines, which prohibits gaming “operators from using celebrities in their advertisements to entice the general public to gamble.”
Mr. Mensah contended that this restriction based on his celebrity status constituted discrimination and violated his rights guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international legal instruments.
The Respondent, the Republic of Ghana, denied the Applicant’s claims and challenged the Court’s competence to determine a case seeking to repeal or revoke national legislation. Ghana requested that the Applicant provide evidence of other celebrities engaged in similar advertisements who received different treatment. The Respondent maintained that no celebrities of the Applicant’s status were permitted to engage in such advertisements in Ghana, and examples cited by the Applicant involved celebrities engaged by other countries with different legal frameworks.
In its judgment, the Court observed that:
The Applicant failed to provide proof of any correspondence or oral evidence of interaction with the unidentified gaming company, or of any order from the Respondent to the gaming company to discontinue discussions with the Applicant.
The Applicant did not present credible evidence demonstrating different treatment of other celebrities engaged in similar advertisements that would amount to discrimination.
The Court was being asked to grant relief with implications for a critical but unidentified third party (the gaming company), which contradicts the rules of admissibility of the Court.
The Court, in its ruling, declared it has jurisdiction over the application and the application admissible but dismissed the case in its entirety as lacking merit.
The judgment was rendered by a panel comprising: Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves (Presiding Judge),
Hon. Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma (Member), Hon. Justice Dupe Atoki (Member and Judge Rapporteur)
ECOWAS Court Dismisses Shatta Wale’s Discrimination Claim Against Ghanaian Gaming Commission
Nine injured in farmers–herders clash in Nasarawa
By: Zagazola Makama
No fewer than nine persons were injured on Monday following a clash between farmers and herders in Loko community, Nasarawa State.
Zagazola report that the incident occurred at about noon on Dec. 15 in Bakono village, Loko area, after a dispute over alleged damage to farmland.
The source said the farmland involved belonged to one Bako Usman.
According to the source, the clash resulted in injuries to five farmers and four herders.
Security forces stormed the scene to restore order, while the injured persons were rushed to the General Hospital, Loko, where they were admitted and are responding to treatment.
Sources said that a stakeholders’ meeting had been convened in the community to prevent further escalation of the crisis.
According to the sources, confidence-building patrols are ongoing, the situation is being closely monitored and the area remains relatively calm.
Nine injured in farmers–herders clash in Nasarawa
Soldier killed as troops clash with suspected militia in Taraba
By: Zagazola Makama
A soldier has been killed, while two others are missing following an attack on troops escorting farmers in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Zagazola gathered that the incident occurred on Monday during a security operation in a bush area of Takum, which has been prone to clashes involving militia elements.
The source said soldiers from a special forces unit along with police, NSCDC were deployed to provide security for Tiv farmers harvesting their farm produce when they were attacked by hoodlums suspected to be local militia in Taraba state.
According to the source, one soldiers was killed during the attack.
The source further disclosed that following the incident, soldiers cordoned off the venue of the Miyetti Allah executives’ election at the FGR Samsokwa Hall, in Takum, and arrested male executives of the association present at the venue. Though it was yet to establish if they were involved in the attack.
Another sources pointed accusing finger at the Taraba state special adviser on security allegedly to be behind the Militia. Though, Zagazola cannot independently verify the claim.
Meanwhile, security forces have arrested a group of suspected armed bandits in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. The suspects were caught with AK-47 rifles during an operation carried out on Friday.
After their arrest, the suspects were taken into custody. In a video that later surfaced online, the men were seen lying face down with their hands tied while security operatives questioned them about where they got the weapons.
One of the suspects alleged that some officials of the Kwara State government gave them both the vehicle and the rifles. He claimed they had been operating in the area under the cover of patrol duties.
According to him, the weapons did not belong to them personally. He said their leader collected the rifles and that they often went on patrol together with some individuals he mentioned by name. He insisted that the guns belonged to those officials.
Soldier killed as troops clash with suspected militia in Taraba
Gunmen abduct five workers at construction site in Kwara
By: Zagazola Makama
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted five workers at a construction site along the Sabaja/Owa-Onire Road in Kwara State.
Zagazola report that the incident was reported at about 4:30 p.m. on Monday by Alhaji Suleiman Abdullah Olanrewaju, manager of Fix Contracting Engineering Company.
The source said Olanrewaju reported that the abduction occurred earlier in the day at about 11:40 a.m. while the workers were on site when the gunmen attacked and whisked them away.
Those abducted were identified as Engr. Ademola Afolabi, Engr. Umar Lade, Fatai and Akin, both labourers, as well as a driver identified as Yusuf.
According to the source, the complainant said he had earlier reported the incident to the military before notifying the police.
Upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Oreke mobilised a team of police operatives who linked up with the military and local vigilantes to comb the surrounding bushes in a bid to rescue the victims and arrest the perpetrators.
Investigation into the incident is ongoing, while security agencies said further developments would be communicated.
End
Gunmen abduct five workers at construction site in Kwara
Nine injured in farmers–herders clash in Nasarawa
Soldier killed as troops clash with suspected militia in Taraba
Gunmen abduct five workers at construction site in Kwara
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