Lawyer Adwoa Paintsil of Robert Smith Group has waded in on the recent issue involving media personality Serwaa Amihere and the choristers of the Action Worship Centre. 

A few days ago, the newscaster who also owns a fashion brand called out the choristers in a Facebook post (which has since been deleted) for using her design for a dress.

In her post, she wrote: “This is my intellectual property Action Chapel Worship Centre. You choristers stole the design. Something I am selling. This is wickedness."

Later, it turned out to be that the designs had been on Pinterest for a long time. 

She then issued a press release to apologise for her earlier statement.

Speaking to Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, Lawyer Adwoa Paintsil said Serwaa's case doesn’t constitute copyright infringement.

“For Serwaa’s issue, it is unique because as I said earlier articles of utility cannot be copyrighted. So you cannot copyright a dress per se. you cannot copyright the patterns to a dress. 

Nothing stops people from recreating a dress because it’s a dress. What you can copyright is maybe the texture of the fabric, maybe the particular design that is the actual embossed design or logo on the fabric,” she noted.

Asked if the matter would have any strong basis if it were taken to court, Adwoa answered in the negative.

“Not at all. It’s a basic short sleeved flared-bottom dress. Anybody can sew that with a lace embodiment,” she noted. 

Lawyer Adwoa Paintsil made the comment when she appeared on the Showbiz A-Z to discuss the topic ‘Understanding Ghana’s Copyright Laws on Arts.’

Showbiz A-Z, hosted by Kwame Dadzie airs on Joy FM on Saturdays from 2pm to 6pm. 

Watch the 28th October 2023 edition of Showbiz A-Z below: