The ECOWAS Court of Justice sitting in Osborne, Lagos State, has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Ghanaian musician Charles Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, over alleged discrimination by his home country.
The suit, marked ECW/CCJ/APP/25/24, was instituted against the Republic of Ghana and its Gaming Commission.
The court ruled that the applicant failed to establish sufficient evidence to support claims of discriminatory treatment. It further noted a lack of proof regarding any communication with the alleged gaming company and observed that the applicant did not identify the company involved.
Mensah had claimed he lost an endorsement opportunity with a Ghanaian gaming firm due to Guideline VII of Ghana’s Advertising Guidelines, which bars gaming operators from using celebrities in advertisements.
According to journalists, the musician argued that the restriction infringed on his right to non-discrimination as enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
However, the Ghanaian government denied the claims, maintaining that the law uniformly prohibited all celebrities from endorsing gaming products. It challenged Mensah to provide proof that others had been treated differently under similar conditions.
In its judgment, the court stated that the applicant failed to provide evidence of any correspondence with the gaming company or a government directive that would establish discriminatory action. It also stressed that the applicant’s failure to name the company constituted a major procedural flaw, as the firm was a necessary party in the case.
It said the applicant failed to demonstrate credible proof of discriminatory treatment.
Although the court found the case admissible and within its jurisdiction, it dismissed the claim in its entirety for lacking merit.
The judgment was delivered by a panel of Justices Ricardo Gonçalves (presiding), Sengu Koroma, and Dupe Atoki.
(NAN)