Court of Appeal Upholds ₦5 Million Fine Against Daddy Freeze for Adultery

The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State, 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. This decision stems from a previous ruling by a High Court in Port Harcourt in February 2021.

The High Court had ordered Daddy Freeze to pay the ₦5 million fine for engaging in an adulterous relationship with Benedicta Elechi, who was married to Paul Odekina at the time. The payment was to be made to Odekina, the aggrieved party in the case.

As part of its judgment, the High Court dissolved the marriage between Paul and Benedicta due to her extra-marital affair with Daddy Freeze. This ruling was made based on the grounds of adultery and the harm caused to Odekina’s marital relationship.

After the initial judgment, Daddy Freeze appealed to the Court of Appeal in hopes of overturning the decision. His main arguments centered around the service of court documents and the legal process that led to the High Court’s ruling.

During the appeal proceedings, Daddy Freeze contended that Odekina had not properly served him before seeking substituted service, which he claimed violated court rules. He also argued that the service by courier, a method used for substituted service, was invalid according to the affidavit of service provided.

However, in a Certified True Copy of the judgment dated June 26, 2024, the three-man panel of Justices at the Court of Appeal, including Abubakar Talba, Danlami Senchi, and Hannatu Balogun, dismissed Daddy Freeze’s appeal on the grounds of lacking merit.