Former rapper Bamboo has won a nine-year legal battle against telecom giant Safaricom for copyright infringement.
In a ruling by Justice Asenath Nyaboke, Safaricom was found guilty of using three of Bamboo’s songs without his authorization for commercial gain. The songs in question are “Mama Africa” (featuring Akon), “Yes Indeed,” and “Move On” (featuring Camp Mulla).
Bamboo first filed the case in December 2015, alleging that Safaricom had picked up the songs from third parties and placed them on its Skiza platform without his consent. He said that he had never received any payment for the use of his songs, and that Safaricom had made a profit of millions of shillings from them.
Justice Nyaboke found that Safaricom had indeed infringed on Bamboo’s copyright, and awarded him general damages of Sh4.5 million. She also ordered Safaricom to pay Bamboo’s legal fees.
Bamboo said that he was “very happy” with the ruling, and that it was a “win for the music industry.” He said that he hoped the case would set a precedent for other artists who have been the victims of copyright infringement.
“This verdict sends a powerful message about the importance of intellectual property rights,” Bamboo said. “It underscores that no entity, no matter how large, is above the law and that anyone who attempts to profit by stealing or copying the hard work of others will be held accountable.”
Bamboo said that he would use the money from the settlement to continue making music and to support other artists. He also said that he would be donating some of the money to charity.
The case is a significant victory for artists in Kenya, and it is a reminder that copyright law is there to protect their work. It is also a warning to businesses that they cannot simply use other people’s intellectual property without permission.
