- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted suspended Kogi lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, bail with the alleged defamation case filed against her by the Federal Government adjourned.
NPO Reported that the Federal Government had filed the defamation suit against Natasha on behalf of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Coupled with the ongoing sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio, Natasha had accused the Senate President and Yahaya Bello of plot to assassinate her.
Natasha who had last week appeared before the court over the alleged defamation again appeared in court on Monday alongside her husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan; human rights activist Aisha Yesufu; and a crowd of supporters.
Meanwhile her legal team led by Prof. Roland Otaru (SAN), had at the first hearing filed for embattled lawmaker’s bail application.
The application was approved by Justice Mohammed Umar, who presided over Monday’s proceedings.
Justice Umar also adjourned the case to September 22, 2025, for further hearing.
NPO Reported that the judge had at the initial hearing ruled out a request by the Federal Government to issue a bench warrant for Natasha’s arrest.
The prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, had called the court’s attention to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s absence for the hearing.
Kaswe told the court that he served the charge on the defendant’s counsel which meant that the defendant was well aware of the matter.
The prosecution counsel prayed the court for a bench warrant to be issued against the defendant for failing to appear in court despite being aware of the charge against her.
Reacting, the defense counsel, Jacob Usman (SAN), had told the court that he found the application of the prosecution strange and uncourteous as it was just issued to him the same morning before the hearing with Natasha yet to be served the application.
Justice Umar, in his ruling, had maintained that it was impossible to grant the application of the prosecutor and issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the defendant when she had not been served.
He rejected the application for a bench warrant while granting the application for substituted service through her counsel which the prosecutor made in what seemed to be an afterthought.