Olakunle Churchill has slammed a N500 million lawsuit on his estranged wife, Tonto Dikeh, over her infamous May 2019 interview.

Tonto had revealed shocking details of her short-lived marriage to Churchill, a businessman, in a three-part YouTube series which was posted in May 2019.

In the video series titled ‘The Evidence’, the actress made some provocative and indicting claims against her ex-husband. She said the claims are some of the reasons she quit the marriage, which produced a son, King Andre Churchill.

She also alleged that Churchill is into cyber fraud, popularly called Yahoo Yahoo. According to her, she found out he was a fraud when she caught him clad in a red cloth, surrounded by red candles with a laptop placed on his lap.

The actress further claimed that contrary to widespread speculation that Churchill was related to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, his father was Mr Obasanjo’s gardener.

Following the series of claims made in the viral videos, Churchill has approached a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to seek legal redress against Tonto.

In the court papers obtained , the court summoned Tonto warning that should she fail to appear in court 14 days from December 10, 2019, it may proceed therein with judgment even in the absence of the defendant (Tonto).

The 1st and 2nd claimants, Churchill and Big Church Foundation respectively, are claiming that “The series of malicious and fallacious allegations, assertions and accusations through media campaigns and publications by Tonto Dikeh and her charity group was defamatory.”

They also said the allegations are baseless and sponsored to tarnish and damage the image and his political ambition of the claimant.

Churchill said he might have told Tonto of his intentions to run for the House of Representatives in his constituency.

Back in April 2019, Churchill petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammad Adamu, over his feud with the actress.

He accused his former wife of document forgery and illegal sale of his Toyota Prado SUV vehicle worth N22 million.

It is unclear if Tonto has filed her response in court. Calls to her known phone number did not connect and a text message sent was not replied.

When contacted, Churchill confirmed the suit.

“Shortly after the suit was filed in December, a bailiff went to Tonto’s Abuja home to serve her the papers but didn’t meet her. He went to her home at the end of January and realised that she has been out of the country,” he said.

The case will come up on Tuesday.

Culled from The Nigeria Lawyer