Bounty Killer Says J$60 Million Royalties Lawsuit Settled
Bounty Killer has declared that the lawsuit he filed in the High Court of Justice in London against British national Othman Mukhlis to recover almost J$60 million in royalties has now reached a “full and final settlement” and that the defendant will have to pay him “every revenue owed.”
Bounty made the revelation on his Instagram page yesterday and was cheered on by his longstanding manager and friend, Paul “Bankey” Giscombe, and his close ally, Dancehall music producer, Jazzwad.
“Following all the recent publicity about my legal situation with Othman Mukhlis /Jamdown Limited/Abood Music Limited, I can confirm that this matter has been fully resolved now with a full and final settlement of affairs between us,” the Warlord noted yesterday on his Instagram page.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ClrLyh3p7Vo/
“Glory to the most high every time Bredda @grunggaadzilla,” Bankey replied, to which the Bounty, whose given name is Rodney Price noted: “Bankey, U zeet such is right bro👏🏾”.
Jazzwad who was the mastermind behind Bounty’s breakout hit Coppershot on the General riddim, also expressed his pleasure at the news.
“✅Glad to hear that 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽. Give to Caesar what is due to Caesar 🙏🏽,” he noted, to which the King of Kingston replied: “@jazzwad Jaaaaah Jah Jah Jah u zeet youth👏🏿”.
It was when one fan errolrobinson591 declared: “Yes I. It is time” that Bounty made the bold declaration that the defendants will have to pay him ‘every red cent’.
“errolrobinson591, Dem affi pay up every revenue dem owed me at this time👈🏿,” the Gun Ready artiste declared.
According to the lawsuit, which had been filed by Bounty Killer in June this year, Mukhlis and his company, Jamdown Music Limited had collected more than £325,000 of Bounty’s royalties since 2002. However, these monies were never paid over to the deejay.
The issue of the unaccounted-for money was discovered by the Seaview Gardens native’s former manager Julian Jones-Griffith, who brought it to his attention. Bounty had subsequently retained attorneys in the United States and the United Kingdom, following which the matter was investigated and statements and payments for more £325,000 that were never paid to him were discovered.
A court document relating to the matter had revealed that Mukhlis had “acknowledged that sums were due to Mr Price and transferred him the sum of £8,477” and that “Mr Price received $10,171.99 (the “Part page 4 of 8 Payment”). It is not known whether this sum was said to be in respect of the Agreed Royalties or the publisher’s share.”
Reports are that Mukhlis is known within entertainment circles in Jamaica via his music publishing company Abood Music and supposedly has multiple other clients on the island.
Bounty had also claimed in the lawsuit that when agreeing to allow Mukhlis to collect his royalties for a 15 percent commission, the British national had made a “fraudulent misrepresentation” which, according to him, meant that the agreement ought to be rescinded.
“Mr Mukhlis represented to Mr Price that Mr Price would be obliged to pay withholding tax of 30% on sums paid directly to him by PPL and PRS in respect of performance royalties and writer’s royalties,” the lawsuit had noted.
“Withholding tax is not payable in the country in which an artist is resident. Accordingly, in the case of Mr Price, no tax would be withheld on royalties collected in Jamaica, where he is resident.”
In addition to the agreement being rescinded for fraudulent misrepresentation, Bounty’s lawsuit also sought an order from the UK High Court that Mukhlis and Jamdown fully account and pay the deejay all the unpaid royalties they had collected, plus interest over the 20 year period and legal costs.
However, in August, Mukhlis through Jamdown Music Limited had made a formal request for legal proceedings to be frozen in the lawsuit brought against him, in order that “they can negotiate” Bounty Killer’s former manager, Julian Jones-Griffith, had told DancehallMag at the time.