Court rejects FG’s request to arrest Natasha over defamation charge

Natasha

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday rejected the Federal Government’s request to issue an arrest warrant against the suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following her failure to appear in court for arraignment in an alleged defamation suit.

The presiding judge, Justice Muhammed Umar, delivered this ruling after the federal government’s counsel, David Kaswe, informed the court that the charge had been served on her lawyer earlier that morning in the courtroom.

Justice Umar stated that, as the senator had not previously been served with the charge or a hearing notice, it was inconceivable for her to have appeared in court.

On this basis, he refused the prosecution’s application for a bench warrant.

The Federal Government’s counsel, however, argued that Akpoti-Uduaghan should have been aware of her arraignment since her legal counsel had been served.

The judge, in response, dismissed this argument, stating that serving the charge on her legal counsel was not sufficient to presume the senator’s awareness of the arraignment.

Following the court’s ruling, the prosecution applied for substituted service of the charge through her counsel, Johnson Usman.

The application was granted and the court subsequently scheduled her arraignment for June 30.

The charge was filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the Federal Government.

In the criminal charge which names Senator Akpoti-Uduagahn as the sole defendant, the FG accused her of making defamatory statements during a live television broadcast. Punch