Williams, Lewis to pay Village Voice over $3M in copyright infringement case
Former Director of Village Voice, Nigel Williams
Former Director of Village Voice, Nigel Williams

FORMER Director of Village Voice, Nigel Williams, and local trade unionist, Lincoln Lewis have been ordered by the High Court to pay $3 million in damages, and costs for copyright infringement, violating the copyrights of Village Voice Guyana Inc. and its sole shareholder, Morris Wilson.

Williams and Lewis were accused of using the company’s logo without authorisation, consent or licence.

It was in April 2021, Village Voice Guyana Inc., a newly formed online media house and weekly newspaper, initiated legal proceedings seeking the money, among other orders, against Williams, the first-named defendant, and Lincoln Lewis, the second- named defendant.

Williams was an employee of the company and also a director as of March 31, 2021, when he tendered his resignation, while Lewis was a columnist. On January 23, 2023, the High Court ruled against Williams and Lewis.

The company, represented by attorney-at-law- Teni Housty, argued that the actions of the defendants resulted in damage to the company. Several orders were sought from the Court to counter and/or mitigate that damage.

Trade unionist and columnist, Lincoln Lewis

According to the High Court Order, the Defendants were ordered to pay the company damages of $2,450 plus additional damages of $3 million.

The Court further ordered that the defendants pay the claimant costs of $250,000 within 30 days.

The order sought general damages in excess of $1 million, punitive damages in excess of $1 million and a further damages in excess of $ 1 million against Williams for breach of fiduciary duty.

The defendants are restrained from passing off or attempting to pass off or causing, enabling or assisting others to pass off goods with the claimant’s ‘Village Voice’ logo; any words including the words ‘Village Voice GY,’ such as ‘Village Voice News’ or a getup similar to that of the Claimant’s trading style containing the words “Village Voice GY’ or any colourable imitation resembling the goods of the claimant.

The defendants were ordered to deliver all of the company’s goods, newspapers, websites, domain names, sign boards, advertisements, circulars, notepaper, business cards, letter heads, stationery, labels, wrappers, photocopies, or other printed matter or digital media, including social media, that may be in their custody or control or their servants and or agents.

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