The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has upheld a ₦5 million fine imposed on Nigerian On-Air Personality, Ifedayo Olarinde, also known as Daddy Freeze, for committing adultery with Benedicta Elechi.
On February 18, 2021, a High Court in Port Harcourt ordered Daddy Freeze to pay the fine to Paul Odekina, who was married to Elechi at the time of the affair. The judgment stated: “The sum of ₦5,000,000 is awarded against Ifedayo Olarinde as damages for depriving the Cross Petitioner of the amiable consort of his wife and for injury suffered as a result of his adultery.”
The court also dissolved the marriage between Paul and Benedicta due to her adulterous relationship with Daddy Freeze. Dissatisfied with the High Court’s decision, Daddy Freeze appealed, arguing that Odekina had not attempted to serve him personally before applying for substituted service and that the substituted service by courier was ineffective.
However, in a 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.
Reacting to the upheld fine, Daddy Freeze took to Instagram to deny the allegations. “I will pay the adultery fine; my wristwatch alone costs over ₦100 million, but I am innocent,” he stated during a live show. He further explained that the affair happened over 12 years ago when both he and Elechi were going through difficult times and later reconnected in church.
Despite his denial, the Appeal Court’s decision confirms the High Court’s judgment, holding Daddy Freeze liable for the ₦5 million fine.
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