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Yul Edochie’s wife, Judy Austin, has taken her former husband, Emmanuel Obasi, and actress Rita Edochie to court over alleged defamatory statements.
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Austin is seeking ₦2.1 billion from Obasi, comprising general, aggravated and exemplary damages, as well as the cost of the action.
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In a separate suit against Rita Edochie, Austin is demanding ₦1 billion in general damages, alongside the cost of prosecuting the case and other reliefs.
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The suits also seek retractions and apologies, the removal of allegedly defamatory posts and orders restraining both defendants from making further statements of the same nature.
August 11, (THEWILL) — Nollywood actress and Yul Edochie’s wife, Judy Austin, has taken legal action against her former husband, Emmanuel Obasi, and veteran actress, Rita Edochie, over alleged defamatory statements.
Austin filed separate suits against the two defendants at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking financial damages and other reliefs.
In the suit against Obasi, Austin is seeking a total of ₦2.1 billion. The claim comprises ₦1 billion in general damages, ₦500 million in aggravated damages, ₦500 million in exemplary damages and ₦100 million as the cost of the action.
Austin is also asking the court to order Obasi to publish a full and unreserved retraction and apology in two newspapers and on his social media platforms.
She is further seeking an order restraining him from publishing additional allegedly defamatory statements about her and directing him to remove any such statements already published on his platforms.
The case follows months of public exchanges between Austin and Obasi over their former marriage and her relationship with Yul Edochie.
Obasi has previously alleged on social media and in interviews that Austin had an affair with Yul while she was still married to him and living under his roof. He also claimed that she had prevented him from seeing their two children for more than a decade.
Austin has denied the allegations, maintaining that her marriage to Obasi ended in March 2013 and that she met Yul years after the separation.
READ ALSO: Judy Austin’s Ex-Husband Alleges Death Threats, Cries Out Over Missing Children
The actress has also filed a separate suit against Rita Edochie, Yul’s aunt, over statements she considers defamatory.
In that case, Austin is seeking ₦1 billion in general damages and ₦50 million as the cost of prosecuting the suit.
She is also seeking a full and unreserved retraction and apology from Rita, as well as an order restraining her from making further allegedly defamatory statements. Austin is further asking that any such statements already published by Rita be taken down.
Rita has been an outspoken supporter of May Edochie, Yul’s first wife, and has previously criticised Austin over her relationship with Yul and other family matters. Her comments and exchanges with Austin have repeatedly generated reactions on social media.
The latest legal action comes after months of public disputes involving Austin, Obasi, Rita and members of the Edochie family.
The cases now move the dispute from social media to the courtroom, where the allegations and claims will be determined through the legal process.
Evi-Ben Ezaga is an entertainment and society writer with a passion for stories that explore culture, people, and the stories shaping society today.
