A Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a N500 million copyright infringement lawsuit against musician Kcee, businessman E-Money, and their record label, Five Star Music Limited.
On Monday, Justice Kehinde Ogundare ruled that the plaintiff, Nigerian composer Jude Nnam, failed to provide sufficient evidence to support his claims.
Nnam had accused Kcee of including his songs “Som Too Chukwu,” “Otito Diri Chineke,” and “K’ Anyi Jee N’ Ulo Chukwu” in his album Cultural Praise Vol. 1 without permission.
Nnam sought the court’s confirmation that the defendants had violated his copyright by using and promoting his songs without authorization.
He also demanded royalties, an end to the infringement, N500 million in damages, and N5 million in legal fees. Kcee and E-Money denied the allegations, calling them baseless and an extortion attempt.
In addition to dismissing the case, Justice Ogundare ordered Nnam to pay N1 million in punitive costs. The lawsuit has been ongoing since 2021.
