Martha Ankomah GH¢5 Defamation: Lilwin Not Ready For Settlement, Hearing Begins November 5
It has emerged at the High Court in Accra (General Jurisdiction) that proposals for an out-of-court settlement in a GH¢5 million defamation suit against Kumawood actor Kwadwo Nkansah have failed.
As a result, the lawyers for the plaintiff, Martha Ankomah, have informed the court that the matter should proceed in court.
Earlier in July this year, the High Court was informed of the possibility of a settlement, which led to an adjournment. However, that attempt has now failed.
Kwadwo Nkansah, popularly known as Lilwin, has been taken to court by actress Martha Ankomah over alleged disparaging comments made about her in public.
In court on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, the first session of the 2024-2025 legal year, Justice Forson Agyapong Baah was informed by the lawyers of the actress, led by Nii Apatu Plange, that the defendant (Lilwin) was not ready for settlement.
“We made our proposals to the intermediary, but he later informed us that it did not seem the defendant was ready for settlement, so I will say that settlement could not be achieved,” the counsel for the plaintiff informed the court.
“We pray the matter proceeds,” Nii Apatu Plange urged the court.
Justice Baah, after hearing from the counsel of the plaintiff, adjourned the case to November 5, 2024, for hearing.
“In the circumstances, the case is adjourned to 5th November 2024, for hearing to begin at 8:30 a.m. Let hearing notices, along with today’s notes, be issued and served on the defendant,” the court directed.
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, reports that Lilwin (the defendant) was absent from court again, and there was also no legal representation for him. The plaintiff, Martha Ankomah, was present in court.
Nkansah, popularly known as Lilwin, is seen in a viral video insulting the actress for her alleged comments. In the video, Lilwin downplayed Martha’s prominence in the film industry.
In a writ of summons filed on February 14, 2024, Martha Ankomah claims that the statements made by Lilwin have harmed her reputation and the brand GTP.
Martha Ankomah insists that Lilwin falsely accused her of expressing disdain towards Kumawood actors by refusing to collaborate with them due to their perceived lack of quality storylines. She argues in the writ that Lilwin’s published words were defamatory.
She is therefore demanding:
a) Damages in the sum of GH¢5 million for the defamatory statements made by the defendant.
b) Compensatory damages for the damage done to the reputation of the plaintiff.
c) Aggravated damages for the reckless and malicious publication of the defamatory words.
d) An order directing the defendant to publish an apology and a retraction of the said defamatory words with the same prominence.
e) An injunction restraining the defendant from further publishing or causing to be published similar words defamatory of the plaintiff.
f) Legal costs.
Background:
Martha Ankomah claims that during a radio interview on Accra-based Accra FM, she expressed her disinterest in collaborating with individuals from Kumawood and mentioned witchcraft storylines as one of her disinterests. While she acknowledged enjoying Kumawood movies in the past, she emphasized that the portrayal of witchcraft no longer appealed to her.
