The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on Thursday arraigned Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on charges related to the alleged intention to harm the reputation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello through comments she made during a TV interview and a private conversation.
After her arraignment, in which she pleaded not guilty, the court granted her bail in the sum of N50 million for alleged defamation.
The AGF charged Akpoti-Uduaghan with three counts of alleged defamation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Governor Yahaya Bello.
The charge partly reads: “Making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person contrary to Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990, and punishable under Section 392 of the same Law.”
The AGF alleged that she had “reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, President of the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
What Transpired in Court
- At the court session, the female lawmaker pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to her by the registrar.
- Following her plea, the prosecution counsel, David Kaswe, asked Justice Chizoba Oji to remand her in a correctional centre pending the determination of her bail application.
- However, Natasha’s counsel, Prof. Roland Otaru, sought and obtained permission to move the bail application for the defendant.
- Otaru urged the judge to exercise her discretion in favour of the defendant.
- He argued that the suspended senator was not a flight risk and would not interfere with the police investigation or witnesses.
- He added that the Constitution presumes her innocent, while the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 emphasizes bail in such offences.
- On his part, the prosecution counsel urged the judge to refuse the bail application, stating that it took great efforts and officials encountered difficulties before the defendant could be served with the charge.
Court Ruling
- Ruling on the bail application, Justice Chizoba Oji stressed that the alleged offence was not a capital one and that the law presumes her innocent until proven guilty.
- The judge granted her N50 million bail and one reasonable surety in the like sum.
- The surety must be an owner of landed property within the jurisdiction of the court, the judge ruled.
- Justice Oji subsequently adjourned the case until September 23 for the commencement of the trial.
What You Should Know
- This is the second related charge against the female lawmaker by the AGF.
- Nairametrics previously reported that the Federal High Court in Abuja directed the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation to serve Senator Natasha Akpoti with a cybercrime charge through her lawyer.
- In the six-count charge, Akpoti is accused of violating the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, by allegedly making comments targeting the reputation of the Senate President
- The court adjourned the matter to June 30 for arraignment.
