Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has turned down a request by the federal government to issue an arrest warrant for Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following her absence at a scheduled hearing in a defamation case filed against the embattled senator.
The judge rejected the request in his ruling after David Kaswe, the government’s lawyer, acknowledged that the defamation charge was only served on Natasha’s lawyer that Monday morning in court.
Justice Umar stated that since the Kogi Central senator had not been served with the charge or a hearing notice beforehand, it would be unreasonable to expect her to appear in court.
Based on this, the judge denied the prosecution’s request for a bench warrant to arrest the suspended senator.
He rejected the prosecution’s claim that serving the senator’s lawyer was sufficient to assume she was informed about her upcoming arraignment.
After the court’s decision, the prosecution requested permission to serve the defamation charge on the senator through her lawyer, Johnson Usman (SAN), using substituted service.
The court approved the request and scheduled the arraignment for June 30.
The case before the Federal High Court mirrors a similar one pending at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is facing legal action over remarks made during a live television broadcast, where she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of conspiring to have her assassinated.
The Nigerian government filed the defamation charges through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
