Appeal Court Upholds Daddy Freeze’s ₦5m Adultery Fine

The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital has upheld a ₦5 million fine imposed on the well-known Nigerian On-Air Personality, Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly known as Daddy Freeze, for committing adultery.
Recall on February 18, 2021, a High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, ordered Daddy Freeze to pay ₦5 million for committing adultery with one Benedicta Elechi.

This payment was ordered to be made to Paul Odekina, who was married to Elechi at the time of the affair.
The court’s judgment stated, “The sum of ₦5,000,000 is awarded against Ifedayo Olarinde (the 2nd Cross Respondent to the Cross Petition) as damages for depriving the Cross Petitioner of the amiable consort of his wife (Petitioner/1st Cross Respondent) and for injury suffered as a result of his adultery with the Petitioner/Cross Respondent.”

Additionally, the court dissolved the marriage between Paul and Benedicta due to her adulterous relationship with Daddy Freeze.
Unsatisfied with the High Court’s judgment, Daddy Freeze appealed to the appellate court for redress. His main arguments on appeal were that Odekina had not attempted to serve him personally before applying for substituted service, violating Order 7 Rule 2 of the Rules of the Trial Court.

He also argued that the purported service by substituted means, i.e., by courier, was ineffective, as evidenced by the affidavit of service, and that non-service violated the principles of natural justice.

In the Certified True Copy of the judgment dated June 26, 2024,the three-man panel of Justices Abubakar Talba, Danlami Senchi, and Hannatu Balogun dismissed Daddy Freeze’s appeal for lack of merit.