Nollywood actress Judy Austin has filed a defamation suit against veteran actress Rita Edochie at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking 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 court document identified Austin as the claimant and Edochie as the defendant.
Among her demands, Austin is seeking N1 billion in general damages over what she described as defamatory statements allegedly made against her.
The writ stated, “The sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) only, as general damages for defamation.”
Austin is also asking the court to compel Edochie to issue a full and unconditional retraction and apology. She wants the apology published in at least two widely circulated national newspapers as well as on Edochie’s social media platforms.
In addition, the actress is seeking a perpetual injunction preventing Edochie, her agents and privies from allegedly making or circulating further defamatory statements concerning her.
She has also asked the court to order the removal of the alleged defamatory publications from all online platforms where they may have been shared.
Austin is seeking a further N50 million as the cost of prosecuting the case, alongside 10 per cent post-judgment interest on any judgment sum until it is fully settled.
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The suit was filed by Austin’s legal team, led by Anozie Obinnaya Obi, SAN, alongside other lawyers.
Sharing the court documents on Instagram, Austin accompanied the post with a brief message: “Enough is enough!”
The writ further directs Edochie to enter an appearance before the court within the period specified in the document after it has been formally served on her.
The legal action marks a further escalation in the long-running public dispute involving the two actresses.