•Senator Natasha (R) in court today
The trial against the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over alleged cybercrime before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, was stalled following an objection raised by the defendant.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had been arraigned on June 30 on a six-count charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar.
She was granted bail, following which Justice Mohammed Umar adjourned till today, Monday, September 22 for the commencement of the trial.
But at the resumed hearing, counsel for the prosecution, David Kaswe, who had a Television mounted, told the court that they were ready to proceed with the trial, and the first witness was already present in court.
Responding, counsel for the defendant, Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN), expressed concern about the possibility of the prosecution opening its case.
He added that his client had filed a notice of preliminary objection to challenge the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.
He said the objection is not to the nature of the charge, but the alleged abuse of the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The defence lawyer also complained about not being served with copies of the statements of the prosecution witnesses.
Although the Prosecution Counsel argued that the objection filed by the defendant should not be allowed to stall the court’s business for the day, Justice Umar insisted that the prosecution must first respond to the objection.
The judge said he intended to first determine the objection raised by the defence before taking any further steps in the case.
He subsequently fixed October 20 for the hearing of the objection.
Alleged Cybercrime
Akpoti-Uduaghan is, in the charge brought under the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, etc (Amendment) Act 2024, alleged to have transmitted false information via electronic means with the intention to malign, incite, and endanger lives and breach public order.
The charge claims that Akpoti-Uduaghan, while addressing a gathering on April 4, 2025, in Ihima, Kogi State, alleged that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, instructed a former governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, to have her killed in the state.
She was also alleged to have, in a television interview, repeated similar claims, to the effect that the Senate President and the former governor plotted to kill her in her state.
