A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja adjourned actress Judy Austin’s defamation suits against her former husband, Emmanuel Obasi, and actress Rita Edochie until 24 November 2026.Â
Obasi’s lawyers challenged the court’s jurisdiction, and the challenge led to the adjournment. Obasi said both parties now await further filings. The court must consider his objection as the case continues.
Austin, who is married to actor Yul Edochie, filed separate suits. She seeks N1 billion in general damages from Rita Edochie and N1 billion in general damages from Obasi. That totals N2 billion. In the suit against Obasi, which she filed in July, she also seeks N500 million in aggravated damages and N500 million in exemplary damages. The claim against Rita includes N50 million in additional relief and 10 percent post-judgment interest.
Austin’s lawyer, Anozie Obi of Rubicom Legal Partners, asked the court to order both defendants to publish retractions and apologies in two national newspapers and on their social media pages. Both defendants received the writ of summons and the notice of hearing, but neither published a retraction or apology before the case began.
Obasi has accused Rita of having an affair with Yul Edochie during his marriage to Austin and of stopping him from seeing their children. Austin has denied his allegations.
Rita spoke to journalists outside the court. She said her social media posts on morality did not target Austin alone. She said she aims them at women in general.
“Mainly, I talk on morals. I educate the people,” she said.
She questioned the size of the claim. She said Judy Austin sued her for N1 billion that she has never seen. She said the lawsuit suggests Austin believes the posts describe her. She also said she wrote every post herself.
“Everything on my pages, I wrote them with my full chest,” she said.
Kemi Filani News reported that Rita told reporters Austin “will cry blood.”
Rita arrived with four lawyers and a group of supporters. Some fans reportedly traveled from abroad to attend. Austin arrived without her husband and without a notable group of supporters.
A crowd reportedly confronted Judy Austin as she left. Video from the scene captured a voice shouting: “Husband snatcher, who is taking her in-law to court?”
Later on Tuesday, Yul Edochie’s estranged wife, May Edochie, posted a video of herself dancing on Instagram. She did not mention the court case.
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“I really don’t know why, but I just feel like dancing tonight. Gratitude to you, oh Lord,” she wrote in the caption.
Fans humorously linked the post to the court case in the comments.
The next hearing is on 24 November 2026.
