In Port Harcourt, a High Court ordered Daddy Freeze to pay N5m for committing adultery with Benedicta Elechi. The sum was awarded against Ifedayo Olarinde, the 2nd Cross Respondent to the Cross Petition, as damages for depriving the Cross Petitioner of his wife’s amiable consort and for injury suffered as a result of his adultery with the Petitioner/Cross Respondent. The court also dissolved the marriage contracted between Paul and Benedicta due to her adulterous act with Daddy Freeze.

Daddy Freeze appealed the High Court’s judgement, arguing that Odekina did not attempt to serve him personally before applying for substituted service, which violated Order 7 Rule 2 of the Rules of the Trial Court. He also held that the purported service by substituted means, courier, was not effective as shown in the affidavit of service, violating the twin pillars of the principle of natural justice.

The three-man panel of Justice Abubakar Talba, Danlami Senchi, and Hannatu Balogun dismissed Daddy Freeze’s appeal for lack of merit. The court ruled that if the appellant wanted to overturn the trial court’s judgment due to non-service, he should have filed a counter-affidavit against the affidavit of service and then sought to set aside the trial court’s judgment. The court resolved the sole issue for determination against the appellant and in favor of the respondents, dismissing the appeal.