Black Sherif, the VGMA Artiste of the Year, was allegedly detained at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on the evening of July 19, 2023.
According to various unsubstantiated social media reports on Wednesday, the ‘Kweku The Traveller’ musician was escorted from the airport to the Accra police headquarters due to a contractual breach regarding a gig in Greece that he failed to honor.
Blogger and radio host Kofi Adoma Nwanwani of Kofi TV, who also confirmed the arrest, added that the incident supposedly centered on a show set for July 4 in Greece.
“There are some developments arising from the camp of leading Ghanaian musician Black Sherif, the information we gathered from the Police headquarters indicates that he was picked by the Ghana Police Service,” he explained.
Black Sherif allegedly charged a fee of $40,000 for his performance and collected half of it in advance.
“We called our sources, but we have yet to call Black Sherif to get his side of the story,” he explained. “However, it appears that it is due to issues with the organizer of the event where he was contracted to play on a cruise ship in Greece after charging US$40,000 and receiving half of the amount.”
However, he did not fulfill his pledge and did not appear on the broadcast, prompting the client to file a complaint against him.
The musician was placed on a stop list as a result of the contractual dispute, banning him from leaving the country. Kofi Adomah, the host of Kofi TV, claimed that Black Sherif will receive the remaining cash after the episode was completed.
“He was taken aback when he was stopped by police, arrested, and taken to police headquarters.” As of now, they have yet to decide if he will be granted bail or how he would repay the money,” he continued.
Black Sherif had just returned from a European tour that included appearances at many music festivals, including the Wireless Festival and AfroNation in Portugal.
The arrest of Black Sherif sent shockwaves throughout the music business and among his admirers.
Black Sherif, one of Ghana’s top artists at the time, has acquired tremendous recognition for his distinct style and engaging performances, making him one of the country’s most in-demand performers.
Details about the contractual dispute are still emerging, and fans and industry insiders are eagerly anticipating further information.
