‘Any idiot can go to court’ – Afia Schwarzenegger reacts after Wontumi suit

Ghanaian socialite and actress, Afia Schwarzenegger has made a controversial post on her verified Instagram account saying, any idiot can go to court.

This provocative post briefly follows a defamation suit filed against her by business mogul and Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.

On Thursday, June 9, 2022, GhanaWeb reported that the politician had sued the comedienne for defamation.

The plaintiff, Chairman Wontumi, is asking for two million Ghana Cedis (GH¢2M) as damages, costs including legal fees and a perpetual order restraining the defendant and allies from further publishing any defamatory materials against him, and any other order that the court shall deem fit.

In the statement of claim, the plaintiff said Afia Schwarzenegger had on June 4, 2022, made social media posts that smeared his reputation.

The plaintiff is asking the court to order the defendant to retract and render an unqualified apology for the defamatory statements.

Although, Afia Schwarzenegger’s “anyone idiot can go to court” Instagram post was not a direct response to Chairman Wontumi, a critical evaluation of the sequence of events makes people believe that the post was a jab at the maverick politician.

Background

A few days ago, Afia Schwarzenegger claimed in a social media post and also in a video clip that she had had sexual intercourse with Chairman Wontumi.

Her claim was vehemently rebutted by lawyer Maurice Ampaw who served as an indication that Wontumi would sue the showbiz personality at the Tema High Court for defamation.

Who once said any idiot can go to court?

The statement was first made by the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia in the year 2012.

Asiedu Nketia in an exclusive interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen admonished the opposition party New Patriotic Party (NPP) not to delude itself into thinking that it will win a court action against the EC.

He explained that the fact that NPP will go to court is inconsequential because “any idiot can go to court in a democracy but the onus lies with the judge to determine whether the case has merit”.