By Charles Pemu 
The trial of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, was adjourned on Monday to December 1 for the hearing of her preliminary objection.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is facing a three-count charge of alleged defamation and harmful imputation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
Delay Over Service of Process
The adjournment was necessitated after the prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, informed the trial judge, Justice Chizoba Oji, that although the prosecution had filed its response to the preliminary objection, it had been unable to effect proper service on the defence team.
Kaswe requested a short adjournment, acknowledging it would be unfair to proceed when the defence had not received the prosecution’s counter-affidavit. Defence counsel, Ehighioge West-Idahosa, confirmed that none of the defendant’s lawyers had been served the necessary documents.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was arraigned on June 19, pleaded not guilty to all charges. The charge, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), includes accusations that she:
- Made harmful imputations damaging to Senator Akpabio’s reputation by claiming he conspired with Yahaya Bello to kill her.
- Made similar harmful imputations against Yahaya Bello.
- Linked Senator Akpabio to the death of Miss Iniobong Umoren.
The preliminary objection filed by the defence challenges the validity of the charges and argues that the AGF’s office has abused its prosecutorial powers, describing the challenge as a “threshold jurisdictional matter.”