Uganda Cranes captain and Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Dennis Masinde Onyango is suing two betting companies for using his images to promote their products during the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Through his lawyers led by Muwema and Company Advocates and Solicitors, Onyango says Melbet and Paragon Bet used his images without his consent.
“Our Client’s attention was recently drawn to advertisements carried by both Paragon Bet and Melbet on their social media handles to promote their products for Uganda Cranes games against Burkina Faso and Malawi which bore his images,” reads part of the letter that was written to the betting companies.
“The unauthorized use of our client’s image is a deliberate violation of his image rights for which we shall hold you liable, given the fact that our client is signed up as an ambassador to another entity in the same business,” the letter further reads.
This week Onyango was unveiled as an ambassador for GAL Sports Bet, a rival company to both Melbet and Paragon bet.
Onyango is also seeking Ugx50 million each from Melbet and Paragon bet for the infringement on image rights.
“The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to demand that you desist from any future usage of our client’s image to promote your products and to further demand that you pay our client ugx. 50,000,000 (Uganda shillings fifty million only) as compensation for violation of his image rights.”
