Kumawood actor Kwadwo Nkansah, popularly known as Lilwin, has been dealt a legal setback in the ongoing GH¢5 million defamation case filed by celebrated actress Martha Ankomah.
The Accra High Court on Monday dismissed an application by Lilwin seeking to stay proceedings in the case.
The actor had argued that the matter should be suspended until the Court of Appeal rules on a pending request to transfer the case from Accra to Kumasi, where he resides.
However, the judge ruled against the application, ordering the trial to continue in Accra and imposing a GH¢5,000 cost on Lilwin.
The legal wrangle stems from a viral video released earlier this year in which Lilwin allegedly launched a scathing personal attack on Martha Ankomah.
In the video, Lilwin accused the actress of snubbing Kumawood productions and looking down on local actors, claiming she had said their storylines were substandard. He also questioned her achievements, implying that her rise to fame was more about industry connections than talent.
Feeling defamed and misrepresented, Martha Ankomah filed a lawsuit on February 14, 2024, seeking GH¢5 million in damages for what she describes as severe reputational harm.
In a controversial response to the lawsuit, Lilwin appeared to dismiss the seriousness of the legal action by posting a video clip of NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia saying, “Every idiot can go to court.”
The post was widely seen as mocking the legal process and downplaying the significance of the case.
The lawsuit has since sparked intense discussion among fans and stakeholders in the Ghanaian film industry, many of whom are calling for more professionalism and mutual respect among creatives.
With the latest ruling from the Accra High Court, all eyes will now turn to the trial as the legal showdown between two of Ghana’s most prominent actors continues.
