…Court finds Natasha guilty of contempt
…Urges Senate to recall her and for her to offer an apology to the court
A Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the power of the Senate to discipline any member for unethical conduct.
Justice Binta Nyako, in a judgment on Friday, held that under the Senate Rules, the Senate President is empowered to allocate seats for members and such a member is only allowed to speak from the seat allocated to him or her.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has upheld the authority of the Senate to take disciplinary action against its members for unethical behaviour.
Justice Binta Nyako, in a ruling delivered on Friday, stated that, according to the Senate’s internal regulations, the Senate President has the right to assign seating to senators.
She added that senators are permitted to speak only from the seats assigned to them.
Justice Nyako ruled that Natasha was not entitled to speak during the Senate session on February 20 because she was not seated in her officially assigned position.
The court acknowledged the Senate’s authority to suspend members but advised that it reevaluate the length of Natasha’s suspension.
Justice Nyako encouraged the Senate to consider reinstating Natasha so she could fulfil her duties to her constituents, while also recommending that Natasha offer a formal apology to the legislative body.
In a separate ruling, the judge found Natasha in contempt of court and imposed a fine of ₦5 million, payable to the Federal Government.
The contempt charge stemmed from Natasha’s breach of a court order issued on April 4, which barred public commentary on an ongoing legal matter.
Despite the standing order, Natasha published a satirical open letter on her Facebook page on April 27, prompting the court to find her in violation of the directive.
Justice Nyako clarified that because Natasha was held in contempt within the context of a civil matter, it constituted civil contempt. As a result, she would not face imprisonment but would instead be required to pay a monetary penalty and issue a public apology to the court.
The judge directed Natasha to pay a fine of ₦5 million to the Federal Government and to publish a formal apology in two national newspapers as well as on her Facebook page, all within a seven-day timeframe.
