Family of boy killed in Ghana collision seek justice

The family of a three-year-old boy killed in a car crash involving popular Ghanaian actor and musician Lil Win have said they are “determined to seek justice”.

The child died in a hospital in the city of Kumasi after the crash on 25 May, local media reports.

Lil Win, real name Kwadwo Nkansah, was also taken to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital – and arrested on Monday after being discharged.

In a statement issued before his arrest, the actor’s production company had called the crash a “tragic accident”.

Lil Win was charged with dangerous driving and causing harm through negligence at Kumasi’s Asokore Mampong District Court on Monday.

He was not asked to enter a plea and was granted bail for 50,000 Ghanaian cedis (£2,630; £3,355). The court adjourned the case until 27 June.

Afterwards, two relatives of the three-year-old boy Nana Yaw told local radio station Angel FM that they were counting on the police to investigate the matter thoroughly.

One of the men said: “We are determined to seek justice for our child.”

The family members accused Lil Win of failing to contact the family after the crash – until he heard that a young child had died. The actor has not commented the allegation.

The boy’s father, Jacob Kofi Amponsah, remains in hospital.

The premiere of Lil Win’s new film, A Country Called Ghana, was cancelled in the wake of the collision.

It was scheduled to take place on Saturday 1 June in Sunyani, a city around 123km (76 miles) away from Kumasi, but Lil Win’s production company Wezzy Empire called it off.

“This difficult decision was made in respect of the memory of three-year-old boy, Nana Yaw, who unfortunately lost his life in a tragic accident involving our Chief Executive Officer, Kwadko Nkansah ‘Lil Win’ last Saturday and join the family in mourning their loss,” a statement, posted to Lil Win’s social media accounts last Thursday, said.

“The CEO extends their sincere condolences to the bereaved family and wish a speedy recovery to the father, Mr Jacob Kofi Amponsah.”

Additional reporting by Thomas Naadi, BBC News, Accra