‘Runtown Lied On His Alleged Court ‘Victory’ Over Eric Many, He Hasn’t Even Filed A Defence To The Case’ – Label Reacts

‘Runtown Lied On His Alleged Court ‘Victory’ Over Eric Many, He Hasn’t Even Filed A Defence To The Case’ – Label Reacts

The unending court case between Nigerian popstar, Runtown and his former label, Eric Many continues as the label reacts to the artist victory claim at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

According to a statement released by the label, the case is still in
court and Runtown has only a 14-days window to file a defence of the
case at the appeal court.

See the full statement below…. 

It has come to the knowledge of Ericmany Limited that our
artiste, Douglas Jack Agu, alias ‘Runtown’, has taken to the social
media, especially twitter and Instagram, celebrating a supposed
‘victory’ in our case in Court. Runtown is telling lies. Runtown did not
win the case. He has not even filed a defence. His lawyers only
challenged the jurisdiction of the Court, claiming that the case is
supposed to go for arbitration. Ericmany challenged the right of
Runtown’s lawyer to appear in the case, since the same lawyer prepared
the Recording Contract which Runtown is breaching.

On 4th December, 2018, the Court ruled that Runtown’s
lawyer can appear. But the Court dismissed Runtown’s application
challenging its jurisdiction. It held that a breach of the contract is
not for arbitration. The Court also held that Runtown should maintain
the status quo. This means that Runtown should stop operations until the
case is over.

Runtown filed two appeals in the Court of Appeal on these.
He then prayed the High Court to suspend the decisions and the trial
itself “pending the determination of the Appeal filed at the Court of
Appeal, Abuja”. In the meantime, Ericmany commenced contempt proceedings
against Runtown due to his flouting of the Court Order. Form 48 was
served on him at page 18 of Punch newspaper of 19th January, 2019.   

On 23rd January, 2019, the High Court agreed to suspend its
decision and further trial to allow Runtown’s appeals to run out. This
is normal practice. The lower Court cannot be seen to be fighting the
appeal Court. The Court warned Runtown to move his papers to the Court
of Appeal within 14 days or the relief is cancelled. The so called
‘victory’ is like the ‘victory’ of a convicted person who obtained a
suspension of his jail sentence until a decision is taken on his appeal.
Indeed, a very unintelligent lie.

So rather than misleading the unwary public that he has
won, Runtown should rather concentrate on pushing his appeals. The
relief he got in the High Court is a merely a short break by the High
Court to respect the Court of Appeal. The case is still there. He has
not filed a defence because he obviously has no defence. Runtown still
owes Ericmany more than N266 Million. He has not produced a single album
as agreed. The Contract is still running. Ericmany has won the first
round. Runtown has filed two appeals. The case is presently before the
High Court of the FCT and Court of Appeal.

Runtown cannot lawfully do anything contrary to the
Contract until he wins the appeal. He has never obeyed any Court order.
We hope that now that he has run to the Court of Appeal he will respect
the Court of Appeal. We therefore warn the general public not to buy his
lies of ‘victory’. The High Court only suspended trial to await
Runtown’s appeal.  No law abiding person or corporate body should have
anything to do with Runtown until the court cases are over. Court
proceedings must be respected by all.

We must learn how to honour contracts. Ericmany wants to
set an example, even if it takes 50 years to make the point. We are
looking beyond Runtown in this struggle. Contracts must be respected in
Nigeria. You don’t invest millions in a greenhorn artiste and when he
feels he has become known he abandons the Contract and start insulting
the investor calling him ‘broke’ and courting public sympathy. Such
conduct is immoral and Ericmany will deploy all it has to make this
point. Yes, many ingrates might have done it and gotten away with it,
but we choose to fight for sanctity of Contract. We will fight it all
through, no matter how long and how much it takes until Runtown honours
his Contract prepared by his own lawyer which he freely signed. At
Ericmany, we see this as a fight for honour and principle.

Thank you all.

Signed:

Johnson Adumike

General Manager, Ericmany Limited