The High Court sitting in Abuja has adjourned the defamation suit filed by Nollywood actress Judy Austin Yul-Edochie against her former husband, Emmanuel Obasi, to November 24.
Austin had, in July, instituted the suit against Obasi, seeking N1 billion in general damages over alleged defamatory publications made against her.
According to the court documents, the actress is also asking the court to order Obasi to publish a full and unreserved retraction of the alleged defamatory statements, alongside a public apology in at least two widely circulated national newspapers and on his social media platforms.
She further wants the court to restrain Obasi, his agents, representatives and associates from publishing or circulating further allegedly defamatory content about her.
Among other reliefs sought, Austin is asking the court to direct Obasi to remove all allegedly defamatory posts concerning her from his social media platforms.
The actress is also seeking N500 million in aggravated damages over what she described as defamatory publications previously made against her, as well as another N500 million in exemplary damages.
She is additionally demanding N100 million as the cost of prosecuting the suit, bringing the various monetary claims in the case to a total of N2.1 billion, excluding the non-monetary reliefs sought.
The matter came up for hearing on Monday, but was subsequently adjourned until November 24.
In a social media post following the court proceedings, Obasi said the adjournment followed an application filed through his counsel challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case.
The jurisdictional challenge will now form part of the issues to be considered as the legal battle continues.
