PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 22nd, 2024
Toronto Ontario, Canada
MOROJELE MUSIC GROUP
“After Losing a Joint Venture Deal with Def Jam Records and a motion for leave with the Canadian Supreme Court, Morojele Music Group CEO pens an open letter to Canada’s Governor General”
Dear Honorable Mary Jeannie May Simon, Governor General,
My name is Setsi Morojele, I was born in South Africa, and after losing my mother at the age of 5 years old, and my father at the age of 9, I was adopted by my Aunt here in Canada for a better tomorrow, but that turned to be my worst nightmare on February 14th, 2018 when I was arrested for calling a father to come pick up his then 38-year-old daughter who was self-destructive, and I couldn’t deal with any longer, as it was affecting my own mental health. This call led to the father calling the police and my arrest. On November 28, 2019, I was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to five and a half years in prison.
When I heard you were appointed governor general, I cried. I didn’t cry because I was sad, but because you deserved the position, and because I felt like Canada was trying to appease the indigenous people for their wrongdoing in trying to eliminate their roots. Unfortunately, that’s what they are still doing to us black people. I have had custody of my nephew who suffers from mental health since he was 29 days old, he is now 15 and in the custody of the Toronto Children’s Aid Society, because I was the only one who could take care of him. Since my incarceration, my nephew had severe mental breakdowns, which led to him being arrested multiple times. I have also lost my now 11-year-old daughter because of my convictions, her mother misinformed her about my charges, and now she is terrified of me. This is how Canada is still finding a way to kill us black people from the roots, keeping us in the system for the cycle to continue. I have concluded that the system is a business, it needs convictions to create fear in society for them to justify their need for high budgets. Police say, “serve and protect”, but that’s not the case, they are here to win cases to justify why they need funding. If that was not the case, why do they say “transporting one body” after your arrest? It’s because we are not human then, they are not here to serve and protect, but to get convictions by any means.
I am writing you this letter because I have exhausted all legal avenues in clearing my name, and now I know systemic racism is real and present in our society. I now turn to you for help, in hopes you can have my case reopened.
As I stated above, on February 14th, 2018, a report of me threatening my then-girlfriend was made by her father, when the police arrived, they asked my then-girlfriend if I had threatened her, and she said “yes”. I was then placed under arrest for uttering threats. I then turned to her and told her to tell the truth, and take back her lie, but this caused the police to add an obstruction to a peace officer charge. Police then took her to the station where police seemed interested in whether I was her pimp since she had been working as an escort since the age of 19 years old, and this was known to police due to her previous run-ins with the law during her time as an escort. I know nothing about that industry, I was only guilty of falling in love with the wrong person. This then led to me being charged with human trafficking offenses and multiple assault charges. I was then released on consented $2000 bail due to not having a criminal record.
In June of 2018, a female I had never spoken with ever, noticed me in a Casino because she was a fan of my artist Casper TNG and his brother K Money. I don’t know how she knew I was on bail, but she reported to the police that I was in a Casino, which went against my bail conditions. A warrant was then issued for my arrest on breaches. The officer in charge called my Lawyer Rudi Covre, who then advised me to turn myself in. I was then given a new bail, but the Crown decided to file with the superior court to pull my bail, by using the names of my artist Casper TNG and his brother K Money who were recently arrested, along with the lead detective saying on the stand “if you Google them, crazy things come up”. On August 8th, 2018, the Superior court agreed with the Crown, and my bail was pulled, meaning I could never go for bail again unless the situation in the case changed, unfortunately, nothing changed, and I was forced to sit until trial.
While in jail waiting for my trial, I witnessed many Caucasian males come back on multiple breaches, but get bail, yet many black Young men set in jail because they couldn’t get bail. Many of these young men felt the need to plea as they were promised time served if they pled, just to go home, even though they were innocent. There is too much abuse of process within the system against minorities, and I am a victim of it as well. My trial began in April of 2019, and the complainant’s father was the first to testify. He mentioned that I called him wanting him to come pick up his daughter, but also heard me threaten her, fortunately, he recorded the call, and all you hear was me asking the complainant to leave me alone, and for the father to come help his daughter. Next, the complainant took the stand. Upon cross-examination, it came out that she lied about a lot, she admitted to being a secondary user of World Elite Mastercard with a $18,000.00 credit limit, which I still have to this day and being free to leave and come as she pleased.
At closing arguments, the Crown said, “Your honor, I know there are credibility issues with the complainant, but please find truth in some of what she is saying”. Mind you, I was never once caught lying or being deceitful while on the stand, but her being a white woman was all the credibility she needed.
The day I was convicted, the judge said, “Even though the victim could come and go as she pleased, I find you guilty of human trafficking because she depended on you.”. Six assault charges were dropped because those lies were too ridiculous to believe, but she said I was guilty of assault causing bodily harm because I was arrested months earlier for an assault that got dismissed, no reason or evidence related to that assault was ever given as a reason for conviction. The police had gone through my phone and contacted all my ex-girlfriends, they all didn’t have too many nice things to say about me, but they all stated I had never been physically violent with them, nor did they ever know me to be involved with what I was being charged with. On November 2019, I was sentenced to 5.5 years in federal prison.
I then hired Lawyer Anthony Moustacalis for my appeal. In September of 2020, the Ontario Court of Appeal granted me bail. Everyone knows it’s not easy to get appeal bail if you were never on bail before your conviction, but the court of appeals thought I had a strong case and granted me bail.
Upon my release, I made it my mission to not let this define me. I revamped my company, and during this process, my nephew mentioned a then 14-year-old kid that he met while in a group home by the name lil Kizzle. Lil Kizzle had been a ward of The Toronto Children’s Aid since the age of 3. My nephew played me his one rough song, and I was sold. I contacted the Children’s Aid Society and signed him.
In September of 2022, we released Lil Kizzle’s debut single. Upon its release, almost every U.S. major record label contacted me. There was no excitement like that of Liv Seltzer of Defjam Records, and the son of super music deal maker Michael Seltzer, the man behind the signing of Taylor Swift to Universal Music Group. Soon Liv was in my house with my team celebrating our soon-to-be partnership. Liv went back to NYC, met with Def Jam CEO Tunji Balogun, and everyone was on board.
The next thing I knew, I get a call from Def Jam SVP Noah Sheer on my cell asking about my convictions, then went on to say unfortunately they can’t move forward because of the nature of my charges. This is a good example of how the system keeps us black men suppressed, so we never get further in life.
On June 15th, 2023, the appeals court came back with their decision, with all 3 judges upholding my convictions. One of their reasoning was that having access to a phone and Knowing its password is different from using it. The complainant under oath agreed to having used my phone on many occasions and some of the texts on that phone were between her and her father amongst other people.
My lawyers then filed an application for leave with the Supreme Court in September 2023. In November 2023, another bail application was brought forth and argued. The judge granted me bail, stating I had strong grounds for a leave.
On December 14th, 2023, The Supreme Court Of Canada denied my application for leave, just before Christmas. All because they want to uphold the integrity of their flawed legal system.
All I ask is for your help in having my case reopened and looked at. I am currently incarcerated at Warkworth Institution in Ontario. I hear many stories like mine in here.
I have attached a letter written by the complainant, who left it at my doorstep a few months before my arrest, even though I had cut all ties and contacts with her.
It’s time the system starts realizing that we are sons, fathers, and brothers to someone, not just collateral damage.
Join us in our efforts to bring this plea to the attention of Canada’s Governor General and Attorney General by signing and sharing this petition. We are confident that with your support, we can positively impact and bring about the change we seek. Thank you for standing with us! View and sign the petition via this link https://chng.it/skkygGFykY
Sincerely.
Setsi Morojele
