Court Adjourns Natasha’s Alleged Criminal Defamation Trial To 2026

Justice Chizoba Oji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Maitama, has granted the request of the federal government to fix further hearing in the alleged criminal defamation charge brought against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to 2026.

When the case came up Monday, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer, Ehiogie West Idahosa, SAN, announced his appearance and told the court that the prosecution was not represented.

The court said it received a letter from the prosecution requesting an adjournment and later had the letter handed to Idahosa who said he was not served with the letter.

The defence lawyer said he observed that the letter was registered and filed on Monday morning.

He argued that the prosecution’s request for adjournment was not brought to the notice of the defence 48 hours before the court’s sitting, as required.

The defence lawyer urged the court to proceed with the business of the day, since the defendant was in court saying the application for adjornment was incompetent.

He stressed that the court’s business for the day was the hearing of the defendant’s preliminary objection.

Ruling on the request, Justice Oji agreed that the application for adjournment did not meet the required threshold, but added that she would grant the adjornment in the interest of justice.

The judge subsequently adjourned till February 23 next year.

The Kogi Central Senator was accompanied to court on Monday by her husband.

Akpoti-Uduaghan is charged with criminal defamation in relation to her claim that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and ex-governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello planned to kill her.

In her preliminary objection, Akpoti-Uduaghan is challenging the decision of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to filed two similar charges against her at the same time.

But, in its counter affidavit filed against the preliminary objection, the prosecution faulted Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim that the charges filed against before the HIgh Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Federal High Court in Abuja amounted to an abuse of court process.

The prosecution stated that contrary to her claim, the three-count charge before the HIgh Court of the FCT was filed against her “after a thorough investigation of the case and a prima facie case was established.”

“The three-count charge was preferred against the defendant pursuant to the Penal code Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in the bonafide exercise of the prosecutorial powers of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) and in the best interest of justice.”

The federal government claimed that the actions and conducts of the defendant/applicant (Natasha) contravened the penal code law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The criminal charge against the defendant is borne out of the comprehensive and conclusive investigation of the case, including all petitions and parties related to the case by the Nigerian Police Force.

“All the petitions filed by the defendant were duly investigated and charges filed at the FCT High Court against her colleague senator,” the prosecution said.