Elani may face criminal investigations over MCSK royalties claims

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NAIROBI,KENYA:CELEBRATED Kenyan music group, Elani, risk facing criminal investigations if their shocking expose on the Music Copyright Society of Kenya’s discrepancies on their royalties are substantiated as lies.
Through a viral video on Wednesday, the Kookoo hit-makers disclosed that they stopped releasing new songs after realising that were allegedly being “conned” by MCSK. They accused MCSK officials of deliberately “stealing” their money, making the group run into debt and thereby, crippling their operations.
The group took issue with the fact they were paid Sh31,000 as royalties in 2014, despite having at least five hit songs on constant rotation on local TV and radio stations. “After learning of this huge discrepancy, we went and got the log sheets from the broadcasters. But before we even initiated the process to compare the sheets with MCSK’s records, I received a phone call from them and told that the three of us would be get Sh100,000 each as compensation. It was so baffling,” group member Brian Chweya told Word Is during an interview.
In a move to defend itself, MCSK said that Elani failed to follow the due process in making its complaints, and that could trigger criminal investigations against them.
“When an artiste feels like his/her royalties were not adequately paid or compensated, they are supposed to write a letter to our finance committee to be forwarded to the board. The board then sits and gives an adequate determination to the matter. But Elani never did that,” MCSK chairman Bernard Mukaisi said in a telephone interview.
He added: “This is just a scheme hatched to paint some employees of the MCSK, including the CEO, in bad light. What was paid to Elani was the recommended amount by the board and their allegation can be a subject of criminal investigations if it’s found to be lies. They are just talking from an ignorant-point of view because they don’t even attend regional meetings where matters concerning the processes are addressed''

This is how Kenyans reacted;

• Grace Mburu 

  Don't these three know like a hundred lawyers? And aren't they lawyers? I was about to suggest they file a lawsuit against the corporation then I remembered they live in Kenya.. That would be useless so now I see why they took to the media... Court of public opinion is not corrupt... Poor elani... Keep your heads up.
  
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  kennedy wakwaya 

  Is it only me who notices the discrepancies in the reasons for MCSK suing in this narrative? It begins by saying that if their story is substantiated as lies then goes to say that Elani failed to follow due process when raising their complaint? Is their a due process to follow when you are making a claim?
  
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  Sura Mbaya 

  You have got to be kidding me! See, why don't all these artistes just band together and get out of MCSK? This is truly the Bandit Economy. You get mugged on the street and when you report the matter, the mugger himself sues you in court.
  
  

  Owaahh 

  Hahahaha. The sheer balls! Oh wow! Oh wow!
  

• Grace Mburu 

  Don't these three know like a hundred lawyers? And aren't they lawyers? I was about to suggest they file a lawsuit against the corporation then I remembered they live in Kenya.. That would be useless so now I see why they took to the media... Court of public opinion is not corrupt... Poor elani... Keep your heads up.
  

  
  
• kennedy wakwaya 

  Is it only me who notices the discrepancies in the reasons for MCSK suing in this narrative? It begins by saying that if their story is substantiated as lies then goes to say that Elani failed to follow due process when raising their complaint? Is their a due process to follow when you are making a claim?
  

  
  
• Sura Mbaya 

  You have got to be kidding me! See, why don't all these artistes just band together and get out of MCSK? This is truly the Bandit Economy. You get mugged on the street and when you report the matter, the mugger himself sues you in court.
  

  
  
• Owaahh 

  Hahahaha. The sheer balls! Oh wow! Oh wow!
  

 Via The Star Kenya