Martha Ankomah sues Lil Win for defamation, demands Gh¢5 million damages

Ghanaian actress, Martha Ankomah has taken legal action against fellow actor Kwadwo Nkansah, popularly known as Lil Win.

She has sued him for defamation and demanding a Gh¢5 million compensation in addition to other damages.

In a writ of summons filed on February 14, 2024, Martha Ankomah claims that the statement made by Lil Win had caused harm to her reputation and the brand, GTP.

Martha Ankomah is insisting that Lil Win falsely accused her of expressing disdain towards Kumawood actors, by refusing to collaborate with Kumawood actors due to their perceived lack of quality story lines.

Background

During a recent radio interview on Accra-based, Accra FM, Martha Ankomah expressed her disinterest in collaborating with individuals from Kumawood and mentioned witchcraft story lines as one of her disinterests. 

While she acknowledged enjoying Kumawood movies in the past, she emphasised that the portrayal of witchcraft no longer appealed to her. 

Lil Win, responded and criticised Martha Ankomah for her statement.

It is from the response of Lil Win that Martha Ankomah considers as defamatory and has instituted the legal action.

Statement of Claim

In the statement of claim, Martha Ankomah is seeking a declaration that the words:

"Who knows you? If not for GTP and senior government officials who signed you on at GTP, who would have signed you. What kind of star are you? Even your own daughter doesn't know you." 

I don't even know why GTP bypassed the likes of McBrown, Mercy Asiedu and co and made Martha Ankomah their brand ambassador. "If you had been a male actor, you would have suffered. When you become an actress and you become a start, men take care of you, men rent accommodation for you, men buy you houses, men buy cars for you. You would have suffered as a man but for the fact that you are female. It is men who look after you. You have become a star that is why men take care of your needs, you don't use your money on anything." 

Martha Ankomah argues in the Writ that the published words by Lil Win were defamatory.

She is therefore demanding, 

b) Damages in the sum of 5 million Ghana cedis for the defamatory statements made by Defendant.

c) Compensatory damages for the damage done to the reputation of Plaintiff.

d) Aggravated damages for the reckless and malicious publication of the defamatory words.

e) An order directing the Defendant to publish an apology and a retraction of the said defamatory words with the same prominence.

f) Injunction restraining the Defendant from further publishing and causing to be published
the said or similar words defamatory of Plaintiff.

g) Legal Costs

Martha Ankomah indicated in the writ that she is "a distinguished actress who has featured in a number of movie productions both in Ghana and Nigeria for more than 20 years.

"The Plaintiff has by dint of hard work as an actress, gained respectability amongst members of the movie and creative industry, movie lovers, friends and well-wishers.

"The Plaintiff used to be a brand ambassador for GTP promoting their products but currently holds ambassadorial deals with Yaba Ghana, Vibrant Skin Care and Style In Vogue.

"The Defendant is an actor, musician and comedian. The Defendant is also the founder and director of a school known as Great Minds School.

"The Plaintiff says that on or about the 8th of February 2024, the Defendant without any provocation from Plaintiff went on a tirade on social media, raining insults and invectives on the Plaintiff for allegedly consistently turning down offers from movie directors to feature in twi local movie productions popularly referred to as "Kumawood."

"The Plaintiff says that the Defendant according to the video circulating all over social media was enraged by the fact that, a director by name Frank Fifi Gharbin had informed him that, Plaintiff had turned down an offer to feature in a Kumawood movie on the basis that most Kumawood movies' story line do not make sense.

"The Plaintiff vehemently denies this claim and says that she has never had any such conversation with the said director or said anything to that effect to warrant the verbal attack on her.

"The Plaintiff says that the Defendant in the said video boldly, falsely and maliciously uttered the following words of and concerning the Plaintiff in Twi and herein transcribed in English as follows: "Who knows you? If not for GTP and senior government officials who signed you on at GTP, who would have signed you. What kind of star are you? Even your own daughter doesn't know you" I don't even know why GTP bypassed the likes of McBrown, Mercy Asiedu and co and made Martha Ankomah their brand ambassador.

"The Plaintiff says further that the Defendant further uttered the following words also in twi and herein transcribed in English. "If you had been a male actor, you would have suffered. When you become an actress and you become a star, men take care of you, men rent accommodation for you, men buy you houses, men buy cars for you. You would have suffered as a man but for the fact that you are female. It is men who look after you. You have become a star that is why men take care of your needs, you don't use your
money on anything"

"The Plaintiff will say that taking into consideration the context in which the words were uttered, the manner and occasion of the publication and the persons to whom the words were published, the Plaintiff will plead innuendo and say that the words mean the following:

a) The Plaintiff is not a fit and proper actress capable of being made an ambassador of a brand like GTP

b) The Plaintiff is incompetent as an actress and has only made it because of her femininity.

c) The Plaintiff lives off men for survival.

d) The Plaintiff as a woman can only acquire property through the help/assistance of men.

It added that the Plaintiff says that the statements uttered by Defendant concerning Plaintiff are brazen lies published with malicious intent and were offending statements published by the Defendant with the sole intent of injuring Plaintiff's reputation and to expose Plaintiff to
ridicule, hate and disesteem.

It added that the Plaintiff would rely on the fact that the Defendant published the words complained of maliciously and recklessly without any basis, lawful excuse or justification.

"The Plaintiff says that the false publication by Defendant which has gone viral on social media and other online news portals caused embarrassment, ridicule and reproach to Plaintiff, prompting calls from family and friends all over the world.

"The Plaintiff also says that the false publication has courted serious disaffection for her from actors, actresses, directors and lovers of Kumawood movies.

"The Plaintiff says that the Defendant knew or ought to have known that once the publication was made by a personality like him, it would be culled and reproduced on social media which is accessible to countless number of persons worldwide.

"The Plaintiff says that the false publication by Defendant has not only tarnished the image of Plaintiff, but has lowered her reputation in the eyes of well-meaning people in society.

"The Plaintiff says that the publication by Defendant has made her appear contemptible before her peers and other right thinking persons.