By Isaac Mission
Nollywood actress Judy Austin has commenced legal proceedings against her former husband, Emmanuel Obasi, in a case stemming from a long-running dispute that has played out publicly.
Austin is reportedly seeking N1 billion in damages from Obasi over allegations and claims he has made about their past relationship and her subsequent marriage to actor Yul Edochie.
The actress has maintained that her marriage to Obasi ended in 2013 and has rejected claims suggesting that she was romantically involved with Yul while she was still married to Obasi.
The latest development indicates that Austin has now taken the matter before the court, seeking legal redress over the issues that have continued to generate controversy online.
Judy Austin also files suit against Rita Edochie
Austin's legal action is not limited to her former husband.
She has also filed a separate case against veteran actress Rita Edochie, who is Yul Edochie's aunt, over statements attributed to her.
Through her legal representatives, Austin is seeking a retraction and apology from Rita, as well as an order restraining her from making further allegedly defamatory statements.
The actress is also reportedly demanding the removal of statements already published and N50 million in damages, in addition to post-judgment interest.
Austin shared copies of the legal documents on her Instagram page on Tuesday, August 11, bringing the legal dispute into the public domain.
How the dispute started
The disagreement involving Austin and Obasi has attracted considerable attention on social media following a series of public claims and counterclaims concerning their former marriage.
The former couple share two children.
Austin has consistently disputed allegations surrounding the timing of her relationship with Yul Edochie, while Obasi has publicly presented a different account of events.
The controversy intensified as various parties, including members of the Edochie family, became involved in the wider public discussion.
Rita Edochie's earlier criticism
The latest lawsuit against Rita Edochie also follows previous public exchanges between the two women.
Rita had criticised Austin over comments concerning women wearing traditional red caps without certain Igbo titles.
In her response, the veteran actress questioned Austin's position on cultural matters and made further comments about her personal life, which have now become part of the legal dispute.
With the cases now before the courts, the long-running controversy could shift from social media exchanges to formal legal proceedings.
