Court Adjourns Senator Natasha‘s Trial On Alleged Cybercrime

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Monday, fixed the trial of Kogi Central lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on alleged cybercrime for February 4, 2026.

The case could not proceed on Monday due to the absence of Justice Mohammed Umar.

At the last adjourned date on October 21, the case did not hold due to the protest organised by human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore who was demanding the release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, who was convicted for terrorism offences last week.

Justice Umar had, on September 22, fixed October 21 for the hearing after the trial was stalled owing to an objection raised by the defendant.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on June 30 on a six-count charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar.

The lawmaker was granted bail, following which Justice Umar adjourned the trial until September 22.

However, on the last adjourned date, when the prosecuting lawyer, David Kaswe, was about to open his case by calling the 1st witness, the defence lawyer objected.

The development was after a television screen had been mounted in the courtroom, preparatory to the commencement of proceedings.

The defence lawyer, Ehiogie West-Idahosa, SAN, had expressed concern about the possibility of the prosecution opening its case.

West-Idahosa told the court that a notice of preliminary objection to challenge the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case had already been filed.

He stated that the objection is not to the nature of the charge, but to the alleged abuse of the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

The lawyer also complained about not being served with copies of the statements of the prosecution witnesses.

Although Kaswe argued that the objection filed by the defendant should not be allowed to stall the court’s business for the day, Justice Umar insisted that the prosecution must first respond to the objection.

The judge said he intended first to determine the objection raised by the defence before taking any further steps in the case.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, is alleged to have transmitted false and injurious information via electronic means with the intention to malign, incite and endanger lives and breach public order.

The senator was alleged to have, while addressing a gathering on 4 April in Ihima, Kogi, accused the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of instructing the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to have her killed in the state.

She was also alleged to have, in a television interview, repeated similar claims, to the effect that the Senate President and the former governor plotted to kill her in Kogi.