Nollywood actress Judy Austin has dragged veteran actress Rita Edochie before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, over alleged defamatory statements, demanding N1 billion in damages.
Austin disclosed the development 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 in the suit.
Among her demands, Austin is seeking N1 billion in general damages for alleged defamation.
She is also asking the court to compel Edochie to issue a full and unreserved retraction and apology in at least two widely circulated national newspapers, as well as on her social media platforms.
Austin further wants a perpetual injunction restraining Edochie, her agents and privies from publishing or circulating the alleged defamatory statements against her.
The actress is also asking the court to order Edochie to delete the alleged defamatory publications from all her online platforms.
In addition, Austin is seeking N50 million as the cost of prosecuting the case, alongside 10 per cent post-judgment interest on the judgment sum until it is fully paid.
The suit was filed by Austin’s legal representatives, led by Anozie Obinnaya Obi, SAN, alongside other lawyers.
Sharing the court documents on Instagram, Austin captioned the post: “Enough is enough!”
The writ of summons requires Edochie to enter an appearance before the court within the period stipulated in the document after it has been served on her.
