The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has dismissed a legal case filed by Ghanaian artist Charles Nii Armah Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, rejecting his claims of discrimination by the Republic of Ghana and its Gaming Commission.
In its judgment delivered on May 8, 2025, the Court ruled that Shatta Wale failed to prove that his rights were violated when he was allegedly blocked from signing an endorsement deal with a Ghanaian betting company.
Shatta Wale had argued that Ghana’s Advertising Guidelines—specifically Guideline VII, which prohibits celebrities from appearing in gambling advertisements—unfairly targeted him and violated protections under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
However, the Court found no concrete evidence to support these allegations. Shatta Wale was unable to provide documentation or testimony demonstrating that he had entered into contract negotiations with the unnamed gaming firm. He also failed to show that Ghanaian authorities had intervened to prevent the deal.
Moreover, the Court noted that Shatta Wale did not present any examples of other celebrities in similar circumstances being treated differently, thereby undermining his discrimination claim.
The Court also expressed concern over the anonymity of the gaming company at the center of the dispute, stating that granting relief without identifying this third party would breach the Court’s procedural rules.
Although the Court affirmed its jurisdiction over the matter and deemed the application admissible, it ultimately dismissed the case for lack of merit.
The ruling was issued by a panel comprising Presiding Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, along with Justices Sengu Mohamed Koroma and Dupe Atoki.
