Yul Edochie has been petitioned to the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, over allegations of bigamy and an unlawful second marriage to actress Judy Austin.
The petition, dated 13th August 2026, was filed by Nigerian citizen Ruth Adaeze Binnendijk through New World Legal. It was addressed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, FCID, in Abuja.
According to the document, the petitioner is asking the police to investigate whether Mr. Yul Edochie contracted a marriage with Ms. Uchechukwu Judith Moghalu, also known as Judy Austin, while his statutory marriage to Mrs. May Yul-Edochie was still legally subsisting.
The petition cited Yul’s April 2022 public announcement where he introduced Judy Austin as his “second wife” and also referenced her recent court filings where she described herself as “Mrs. Judy Austin Yul-Edochie”.
It noted that Yul and May married in 2004 under the Marriage Act, and that divorce proceedings were reportedly started in 2023. However, there is no record yet of a decree absolute dissolving the marriage.
The petitioner stated she is not asking the police to presume guilt, but to verify facts including the date and type of any marriage to Judy Austin, and whether the first marriage was still valid at that time. The request is based on provisions of the Marriage Act and Section 370 of the Criminal Code which deals with bigamy.
The document also emphasized that the case has a wider public interest, stressing that the law on monogamous marriage should apply equally to public figures and ordinary citizens.
The petitioner asked FCID to obtain certified marriage and court records, and to invite Yul Edochie, Judy Austin, and other witnesses for formal statements.
