Actress Judy Austin has filed a defamation lawsuit against veteran actress Rita Edochie at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, demanding N1 billion in damages.
Austin announced the legal action in a post on her verified Instagram account, where she shared a copy of the writ of summons filed against Edochie.
The suit identifies Austin as the claimant and Edochie as the defendant. According to the court document, Austin is seeking N1 billion in general damages over statements she alleges were defamatory.
The actress is also asking the court to order Edochie to issue a full and unreserved retraction and apology. She wants the apology published in at least two widely circulated national newspapers and on Edochie’s social media platforms.
Austin is further seeking a perpetual injunction preventing Edochie, her agents and associates from publishing or circulating the alleged defamatory statements in the future.
The claimant has also asked the court to direct Edochie to remove the disputed statements from all her online platforms. In addition, she is demanding N50 million as the cost of prosecuting the case.
Austin is seeking 10 per cent post-judgment interest on any judgment sum until it is fully paid. The suit was filed by her legal representatives, including Anozie Obinnaya Obi, SAN, alongside other lawyers.
Sharing the court document, Austin captioned her post, “Enough is enough!” The writ requires Edochie to appear before the court within the period specified in the document after it has been served on her.
The case centres on statements Austin alleges were defamatory. The court will determine the merits of the claims and any response from Edochie as the legal proceedings progress.
