Two of Ghana’s leading musicians Stonebwoy and Shatta Wale have been banned from taking part in the annual Ghana Music Awards. The sanction takes effect immediately.

The decision was announced in Accra, Thursday, at press briefing put together by Charterhouse, organizers of the scheme.

Board Chairman of the scheme, Amanzeba Nat Brew read out the sanctions at an event that had other members of the board in attendance.

Subsequently, the two acts have also been stripped of their respective awards at the just ended awards ceremony, and have been asked to return their plaques to the organizers.

Last week’s event, also saw the announcement of two awards; the Most Popular Song of the Year, and Artiste of the Year shelved with a promise to declare later. At the press briefing today, the board announced that all two remaining slots have been nullified.

On that fateful morning, when Stonebwoy had gone up the podium to receive the trophy for Reggae/ Dancehall Artist of the Year, which he had just emerged winner of, Shatta Wale, in the company of a dozen hangers-on, charging towards the stage too. And though it is reported the Shatta Movement frontman had gone to congratulate his arc-rival, the gesture led to a punch-up, leaving multiple people injured and marring the event, which was the 20th year it was being staged.