Nollywood Starlet Takes On Billionaire Husband and Mother-in-Law in ₦2bn Lawsuit
Judy Austin, wife of actor Yul Edochie, has slammed her ex-husband Emmanuel Chukwuobasi and her husband's relative, Rita Edochie, with separate defamation lawsuits worth over ₦2 billion combined. The actress is demanding public apologies, retractions, and the removal of alleged defamatory posts from her ex-husband, as well as ₦100 million in legal costs.
Lawsuits Worth Over ₦2 Billion
Judy Austin has taken legal action against her ex-husband and Yul Edochie's relative, Rita Edochie, demanding over ₦2 billion in damages over alleged defamatory statements. In the suit against her ex-husband, Judy is demanding ₦1 billion in compensation for the alleged defamation, citing the harm to her reputation and other consequences she says resulted from the statements.
Demands for Retraction and Apology
The court document reads in part, "An order compelling the Defendant to publish a full, unreserved retraction and apology to the Claimant in at least two (2) widely circulated National Newspapers, as well as on all his Social Media Platforms." Judy is also asking the court to compel her ex-husband to publicly withdraw the allegedly defamatory statements, apologise without conditions or reservations, and remove existing defamatory posts and statements from all his online platforms.
Separate Suit Against Yul Edochie's Relative
Judy also filed a separate suit against Rita Edochie, demanding ₦1 billion in compensation over alleged defamation, bringing the total damages sought in the two cases to more than ₦2 billion. Rita Edochie, a relative of Yul Edochie, has repeatedly criticised Judy online, but has yet to address the lawsuit publicly.
Video Evidence of Receipt of Lawsuit
Videos that circulated online on Monday showed the moment Emmanuel Chukwuobasi confirmed receiving the lawsuit. In the video, he said, "I have received the court suit from the messenger. The name here is Mrs Judy Austin Yul Edochie."
Long-Running Controversy Surrounding Marriage
The lawsuits come amid the long-running controversy surrounding Judy's marriage to Yul Edochie. Judy and Yul's relationship and subsequent marriage have remained a subject of public discussion, particularly because of Yul's previous marriage to May Edochie.
Source: Pulse.ng
