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Justice Chizoba Oji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Tuesday adjourned till October 27 the hearing in a preliminary objection raised by the Senator representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned by the Federal Government for allegedly defaming the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and former governor of Kogi State. Yahaya Bello.
She was arraigned on a three-count criminal charge of harmful imputations during a television interview.
She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The lawmaker was granted bail in the sum of N50 million and one surety in the like sum on May 15.
Justice Oji adjourned the matter following objections raised by the senator against the competence of the charge.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel, Ehighioge West-Idahosa (SAN), predicated the objections on the alleged abuse of prosecutorial powers by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
He said filing a charge against his client at the Federal High Court and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on the same subject matter and same complaints was an abuse of court procedure
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, David Kaswe, informed the court of his readiness to open the case against the defendant.
He said his first witness, Abdulhafeez Garba, a superintendent of police, was in court to testify against the defendant.
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He asked the court for permission to call the witness into the witness box.
This was, however, objected to by West-Idahosa because his client had filed a motion on notice, challenging the competence of the charges and the jurisdiction of the court.
He added that the motion has been served on the AGF as required by law, but the latter had not responded.
After listening to parties’ arguments, Oji adjourned the trial to October 27 to enable AGF to respond to the motion.
The senator’s motion and the AGF’s response will be heard on the same day.
The post Defamation: Court adjourns Natasha’s trial to October 27 appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.
