Actress GH¢5 million defamation suit against Lilwin back in court as settlement fails

At the High Court in Accra (General Jurisdiction), it has come to light that attempts to resolve a GH¢5 million defamation case involving Kumawood actor Kwadwo Nkansah, also known as Lilwin, outside of court have been unsuccessful.

The plaintiff, actress Martha Ankomah, had initially explored the possibility of settling the matter out of court. However, her legal team has now informed the court that these efforts have failed, and they are ready to move forward with the legal proceedings.

Back in July 2024, the court was made aware of a potential settlement, leading to the case being adjourned to allow discussions between the parties. Unfortunately, those talks have broken down. During a court session on October 15, 2024, marking the beginning of the 2024-2025 legal year, the actress's lawyer, Nii Apatu Plange, revealed that the defendant had shown no interest in reaching a settlement.

“We presented our proposals through a mediator, but we were later informed that the defendant was not willing to settle, so the settlement attempt has failed,” Plange told the court. He requested that the case proceed to trial.

Justice Forson Agyapong Baah, presiding over the case, adjourned it to November 5, 2024, for the commencement of hearings. The court also directed that notices and notes from the day’s proceedings be served to the defendant.

Once again, Lilwin did not attend the session, nor was there any legal representation on his behalf. Martha Ankomah, however, was present in court.

The case stems from a viral video in which Lilwin is alleged to have made insulting remarks about Martha Ankomah. In the video, he is said to have questioned her influence in the film industry and made derogatory comments following her alleged statements regarding Kumawood actors.

In her lawsuit, filed on February 14, 2024, Martha claims that Lilwin’s remarks have damaged her reputation, particularly affecting her association with the GTP brand. She asserts that the actor falsely accused her of looking down on Kumawood actors and avoiding collaborations due to the quality of their work, labeling his statements as defamatory.

Martha Ankomah is seeking the following from the court:

• GH¢5 million in damages for the defamatory comments.
• Compensation for the harm caused to her reputation.
• Aggravated damages for the malicious nature of the statements.
• A public apology and retraction of the statements, given the same visibility as the original comments.
• An injunction to prevent any further defamatory remarks.
• Coverage of her legal costs.