Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abuja federal High Court sitting at Maitama, on Thursday, rejected Federal Government’s bid to remand the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Udughan in prison custody, but granted her bail to the tune of N50 million.
The presiding Judge, Justice Chizoba Orji, ruled that she found no reason to deny the defendant bail, maintaining that she is willing to face her case.
Senator Natasha was arraigned on a three-count charge.
The court held that the defendant must produce one surety who must be a person of integrity that owns a landed property in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the case was subsequently adjourned till September 23 for trial.
Recall that the Federal Government is prosecuting the lawmaker for allegedly making a false claim that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former Governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, were behind plot to assassinate her.
In the charge marked: CR/297/25, FG alleged that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was listed as the sole defendant, made the false and defamatory remarks when she appeared as guest on live television.
It specifically accused her of making “imputation, knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.”
According to the charge, by making such false imputation that tarnished the image of others, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, committed an offence under 391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
It added that the alleged offence is punishable under section 392 of the same law.
Giving particulars of the offence in count-one of the charge, FG, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged crime on April 3, during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Among those listed as witnesses in the matter, included the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and a former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who were cited as nominal complainants.
Other witnesses billed to testify in the case are two police officers that investigated the matter, Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba; a Senator, Asuquo Ekpenyong and one Sandra Duru.
The charge, dated May 16, came on the heels of a letter Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan wrote to the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, wherein she accused police of exhibiting bias in the investigation of her petitions against the Senate President.
It will be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had fixed June 27 to determine the legality or otherwise of the six-month suspension that was slammed on the defendant by the Senate.
