PCK and L' Frankie Set to Take on Lonestar Cell MTN Again!

By: William McGill

Monrovia- Liberia's former music duo, PCK and L'Frankie, are gearing up to confront Lonestar Cell MTN Company once more.

In a recent social media post, L'Frankie, one behalf of the duo, boldly declared, "Good Morning Lonestar Cell MTN... Coronavirus is over; we shall continue our case from where we stopped in court whenever PCK & L'Frankie step in Liberia!! Have a good day."

According to reports the case, is said to be at the Sixth Judicial Civil Law Court for the action of damages in the tone of Three Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (USD$3,150,000.00).

Peter C. Kamara, alias PCK, Francis R. Wollo, alias L’ Frankie, and Sam Payedo, alias DJ Weezy, one of the most popular Liberian musical group at the time, along with DJ Weezy, filed a lawsuit titled: “Action of Damages For The Authorized Use Of Intellectual Property which was later violated by the GSM company, and using their song as a ring back tune without payment as agreed on December 3, 2018”.  

According to the group’s action for damages, on December 5, 2016, it had a meeting with Lonestar Cell/MTN for the use of the song ‘Kill Your Dog’, also known as ‘I Here’, which was widely loved and listened to by most Liberians, as a ring back tune for the company’s customers.

At the time, the group also noted that an agreement was reached between the two parties for Lonestar Cell MTN to charge its customers USD$0.50 per unit download monthly and profits generated from the ring-back tune be shared on a fifty-fifty (50-50) basis by both parties.

According to the local stars, since the meeting on December 5, 2016, till the time of the legal action in 2018, there has been no agreement reached between the two parties, even though there was an understanding for the use of their song.

Contrary to the lawsuit at the time, Lonestar Cell MTN proceeded to use the song on their platform as a ring-back tune for the use of their customers throughout the country and abroad without seeking their consent and approval as required by law.

The group at the time accused Lonestar Cell MTN of denying them the right to use the same portrait for other GSM Companies’ promotional activities, thus violating their rights for which the action of damages was filed against the company.

The musicians also stated at the time of the complaint, they requested the company to make an equitable contribution of USD$0.10 per designed and printed portrait to be multiplied by a minimum of 500,000 customers, amounting to USD$900,000.00 for a period of 18 months to have the issue resolved but the company ignored, neglected, and rejected the proposal.

Despite residing in different parts of the world – L'Frankie in the USA and PCK in Australia – the pair is determined to reunite in Liberia and pursue justice for their unfinished lawsuit.