Court grants N50m bail to senator Natasha, rejects FG’s remand request
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, has granted bail to suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for N50 million.
This decision was delivered by Justice Chizoba Orji, who dismissed the Federal Government’s application to keep the senator in prison custody pending trial.
Justice Orji stated, “I found no reason to deny the defendant bail,” highlighting that there is substantial evidence supporting her willingness to face the charges against her. Along with the bail amount, the court mandated that Akpoti-Uduaghan must present a credible surety who owns property in Abuja.
The court’s decision was based on section 36 of the 1999 Constitution and sections 163 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. The trial has been set for September 23.
The senator is facing prosecution by the Federal Government for allegedly making false claims during a live television appearance, suggesting that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello were involved in a plot to assassinate her.
The charges, marked as CR/297/25, accuse her of making defamatory remarks that could harm the reputation of others.
During her televised interview on April 3, Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly made serious accusations, and the government claims these statements were made with knowledge of their potential harm.
The case lists both Akpabio and Bello as nominal complainants, among other witnesses, including police officers who investigated the allegations.
This legal battle intensified after the senator raised concerns about bias in the police investigation in a letter to the Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
Furthermore, a Federal High Court in Abuja is scheduled to rule on the legality of her recent six-month suspension from the Senate, which followed a confrontation she had with Akpabio during a session over her seating position.
Akpoti-Uduaghan has claimed her suspension is linked to rejecting inappropriate advances from the Senate President. In response, she has filed for any Senate Committee actions taken against her during her lawsuit to be declared invalid.
Source: Vanguard newspaper
