TANZANIA’S oldest Music Band, ‘Msondo Ngomo,’ is in the process of suing the famous ‘Bongo Fleva’ artist, Naseeb Abdul alias Diamond Platinumz and his Wasafi Record Label for allegedly infringing the copy right of the former.
Msondo Ngoma Band is represented by ‘Maxim Advocates,’ and in the letter from the Law Firm, which was addressed to the Wasafi Records (WCB) Director, the band is demanding 300 million/- from Diamond as well as other artists who took part in the recording of the song ‘Zilipendwa,’ in which they used samples of saxophone tunes previously used by Msondo in their 2005 hit ‘Ajali.
’ The legal dispatch titled ‘Demand for Tshs Three Hundred Million and Notice of Intention to sue,’ dated on the 7th of September 2017 had its copies sent to the Copyright Society of Tanzania (COSOTA) and Wasafi Limited and judging from the two seals on the bottom of the page, the two parties had acknowledged to receive the demand.
“Kindly be informed that, we are legal counsels engaged by Msondo Ngoma Music Band, our client who has instructed us to demand from you as we hereby do,” read the opening paragraph of the legal dispatch.
Bongo-Fleva artists mentioned in the ‘Intention to Sue,’ notice, include Diamond Platinumz, Harmonize, Rich-Mavoko, Ray-Vanny, Queen Darlin, Maromboso and Lavalava, all of whom are covered under the Wasafi Records Label.
The letter states that; between the 4:55 and 5:10 minutes lapse of the track ‘Zilipendwa,’ by WCB the artists had played a saxophone tune which clearly resembled the one played in the Msondo Ngoma’s popular hit of 2005 entitled ‘Ajali,’ composed by the late TX Moshi William.
The sax tune in Ajali ran between 6:38 and 6:52 minutes of the track. Maxim Advocates’ dispatch is demanding that; “Your act of copying melodies created and played by our client without prior consultation or agreement, with our client,” the client of course is Msondo Ngoma.
Msondo Ngoma, founded in 1964 is so far the oldest still performing music band in East Africa having undergone a number of identities since its inception, when it started as NUTA (National Union of Trade Associations owned the band before), then changed to JUWATA, later OTTU and now Msondo after becoming an autonomous troupe.
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