Court reschedules hearing of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s objection against criminal defamation charges
The FCT High Court in Abuja on Monday adjourned the hearing of the preliminary objection raised by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, challenging the powers of the Attorney-General of the Federation to prosecute her on criminal defamation charges filed against her.
The AGF office had charged Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan with criminal defamation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
The prosecution charged Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District in the Senate, with three counts of making imputations harmful to the reputation of Messrs Akpabio and Bello, by falsely accusing them of plotting to kill her.
The prosecution also accused her of making another imputation harmful to Mr Akpabio’s reputation by associating him with the death of one Miss Imoren Iniobong.
She pleaded not guilty when she was arraigned before the court on 19 June.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, the prosecution lawyer, David Kaswe, informed the court that the matter was slated for hearing of the defendant ‘s preliminary objection.
However, he told trial judge Chizoba Oji that the prosecution could not serve its response to the defendant’s objection before Monday’s proceedings.
Mr Kaswe told the court that the prosecution earlier served the filing on a wrong address of the defence lawyers.
On that note, he prayed for a short adjournment to enable the prosecution to properly serve the defendant with its response.
“It will not be fair for the prosecution to insist that the matter goes on as the defence team has indicated that they will respond to our counter.
“In the circumstance, we are asking for a short adjournment to enable us (prosecution) to effect proper service on the defence” he told the court.
Responding, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel, Ehighioge West-Idahosa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), confirmed to the court that the prosecution’s response to his client’s preliminary objection was not served on any member of the defence team.
“We intend to react when we are properly served as we have additional evidence to file,” he told the court.
He, however, appealed to the court to grant a long adjournment as members of the defence team planned to attend this year’s International Bar Association meeting in Canada.
After listening to parties, the judge adjourned the hearing of the preliminary objection until 1 December.
Earlier on 23 September, the defence lawyer, Mr West-Idahosa, told the court that the defendant had filed a notice of preliminary objection against her trial.
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He said the objection alleged an abuse of prosecutorial powers by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
According to the senior advocate, the preliminary objection was not a challenge of the elements of the charge but a challenge to the validity of the charges. “This is the threshold of jurisdictional matter,” he said.
He informed the court that the defence had served the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation with the preliminary objection on 18 September.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan made the allegations over which she was charged on a live television programme while she was on suspension from the Senate.
She resumed her six-month suspension last month.
(NAN)