No Thomas for Mariri

MPHO TLALE
Staff Writer | Thursday June 27, 2013 00:00

 

Mariri has lost with costs the case he filed against Kgalagadi Breweries Limited (KBL), which he accuses of hijacking his idea of bringing the artist to Botswana to perform at Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC). In dismissing the urgent application on Tuesday, Justice David Newman said that Mariri  failed to prove that he has exclusive rights to the artist, the show or where he should perform. But the promoter feels that the decision overlooked all the facts that he presented in court.

Mariri had applied to the High Court alleging that KBL 'stole' the idea of bringing Thomas to Botswana from him. He said that sometime in 2012, he met a certain KBL employee called Kopano Pontsho to discuss the matter but he never got feedback as promised.

Mariri said that he has a 48-page proposal that he handed to KBL for the Thomas show to back his claims. He said he met with Thomas' manager in 2011 in Sandton after which he kept in touch and came up with a proposal to bring the singer to Botswana. That is when he approached KBL with a proposal. But a few weeks back, he saw adverts announcing that Thomas will be performing at GICC, forcing him to move to court.

After losing the case, he said that he and his lawyers are still cooling down and sobering up before they chart the next course of action. He is waiting for the bill from KBL to see how much he will pay for the case. Meanwhile, KBL has put out a press release entitled: 'And The Beat Goes On. KBL Wins Joe Thomas Concert Court Interdict'.  The press release states that: 'KBL challenges itself to at all times, be an example for good corporate governance and therefore we could not allow our hard-earned reputation to be tarnished with these unsavory claims; neither could the company sit back and allow another party to usurp their legitimate right to stage the Joe Thomas Concert as part of their 40 year celebrations.' KBL has said that indeed the Joe Thomas show will take place as scheduled.