In the last 24 hours, the news of Ghanaian singer and rapper, Black Sherif’s arrest at the Kotoka International Airport has taken many people by surprise.

Sources close to the musician explained that he had been paid an initial deposit for a cruise performance but the organisers of the event demanded promotional videos which sources say was not part of the contract.

The source stated that despite this, the organisers cited a breach of contract and demanded a $50,000 compensation even though Black Sherif’s team chose to refund the initial amount paid.

But, for the first time, the CEO of Cruise People Limited, Daniel Vanderpuye has opened up to tell his side of the story and why the musician was arrested.

Talking about the genesis of the event, Mr Vanderpuye revealed that he had reached out to Black Sherif’s team on the possibility of him performing on a cruise ship - an event he was planning for Ghanaians in the diaspora.

Speaking to Joy Entertainment's Kwame Dadzie, he stated that after initial discussions with Blacko’s team headed by one Mini Aidoo, an agreed date of August 19 and a payment of $40,000 was reached.

But, the singer’s team, he said, wanted a down payment of $20,000 and subsequently asked them to communicate with Eko Talent Agency, a company responsible for all overseas bookings for Black Sherif.

Mr Vanderpuye said they were sent a contract to sign by the booking agency to confirm their intentions and thereafter the initial deposit was wired as requested.

The businessman said that following the contract signing they fulfilled their end of the bargain and expected Black Sherif to do the same by confirming his participation with a 10-15 seconds video that would be used for ads.

He stated that the booking agency assured them the video will be made available prior to a media launch on May 19.

“The contract was signed on April 28, and we were expecting to have the video between the week of the 10th of May. We were in communication with Eko Talent and they kept telling us we will get the video until the d-day of our media launch and they forced Black Sherif to make a video call to me,” he said.

Mr Vanderpuye said Black Sherif in the presence of his manager informed him they had other interview obligations in the US [where he was at the time] and thus could only make the video available after.

That request did not sit well with the businessman since he had requested the video weeks earlier. However, he noted that despite agreeing to the new plan, the video was still not made available to them.

“The next day, I realised that something was going on, so I called our lawyers and said let's write to them. So, on May 22 we sent this breach of agreement letter to them.”

He said despite the breach of contract, they were ready to make any changes or other proposals.

“From 22nd of May to today, no response to this letter. It was sent to the booking agency, Black Sherif’s manager that we know, to Mimi Aidoo and a copy to Black Sherif’s father. No response, and it's been two months.

Mr Vanderpuye said in the two months, he used all available resources to reach out to Black Sherif and his team, including industry persons like Sadiq Abdulai Abu, Amakye Dede and Gramps Morgan, but to no avail.

He stated that Black Sherif’s team only reached out to him about five days ago asking that they write another letter to them so their management could refund the $20,000 down payment they made.

“A clear intent of fraud has been established here because you presented yourself to us as being ready to be at the event for which we sent the money to you. Thereafter if for any reason you were not able to do the 10 or 15 seconds video, you reach out to us and talk about it.”

“When the letter got to them till date, there hasn't been any official response from his team, himself or Eko Talent Agency. Would you let someone collect your $20,000 and go two months and not say a word to you?” he quizzed.

Mr Vanderpuye said that it was within the two months they petitioned the police on the matter who in turn reached out to Black Sherif’s team numerous times but were ignored.

Read more: Black Sherif: He anticipated a hero’s welcome but became a villain he, perhaps, never was

“The police will not just wake up and arrest Black Sherif. We submitted everything based on what happened and they secured an arrest warrant and informed immigration. So immigration stopped him, handed him over to the police,” Mr Vanderpuye added.

He noted that he woke up to an email from Black Sherif’s team, on Thursday, to their accounts department taking action to refund the money. “So it took this for that to happen. So, if Black Sherif wasn’t arrested they weren’t going to do this.”

The businessman said that he and his team want to see the case to its logical end because of the “unthinkable” treatment meted out to them and as such are preparing a civil suit against Black Sherif.

“We don’t want the public to see us as trying to put a stop to his career or impede his progress. We waited two months trying to use all kinds of means, especially human resources available to find a lasting solution, but that didn’t happen and we are here now" he explained.