The Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma) has suspended a licence it issued to one of the music producers Taka Bwanali and Lilongwe Music Centre for breach of contract.

As a way of promoting Malawi music, Cosoma introduced a system whereby it accredits music distributors to run music promotion and marketing businesses across the country.

However, producer Bwanali and his music centre were implicated in a scandal of duplicating Lawrence Mbenjere's Meter DVD.

"As a way of promoting order to the system, Cosoma has moved in by suspending the license for Lilongwe music Center, confiscated both the infringing copies and the equipment used for reproduction of the infringing copies and withdrew the remaining inlays," said Cosoma Senior Licensing Officer Rosario Kamanga .

He said while Bwanali was in South Africa, it transpired that his company was reproducing Mbenjere's DVD with wrong holograms.

"Bwanali trading as Lilongwe music centre and licensed by Cosoma entered into agreement with Lawrence Mbenjere to undertake reproduction of Mbenjere's album entitled Meter . It later transpired that whilst he was away to South Africa, his relations entrusted with the running of the shop attempted to transfer holograms affixed on another work onto Mbenjere's and since they have unique serial numbers these holograms were detected," said Kamanga.

Mbenjere and Bwanali agreed to settle the matter out of court. But later Mbenjere of 'Chiphaso' hit dragged Bwanali to court for failing to pay a K100, 000 fine for breach of contract.

Mbenjere claimed that he signed a contract with the producer in February, 2012 to distribute some copies of his DVD collection.

However, the musician noted that the sales of his product were dwindling soon after striking a deal with the distributor.

"Since I struck the deal, I haven't been able to make sound sales out of the latest DVD as it has been the case in the past. I didn't know that someone was reaping the fruits of my sweat behind my back," said Mbenjere.

He also noted that he found exceeding copies of his product bearing Cosoma stamps than he bought from the body. And when he took the distributor to task he revealed that he got it from another distributor.