Alleged Cybercrime: Court defers Natasha’s trial to Oct 20

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA– The Federal High Court sitting successful Abuja, connected Monday, deferred full-blown proceeding of the six-count cybercrime complaint the Federal Government preferred against the suspended Senator for Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, till October 20.

The scheduled proceeding was stalled by a caller exertion the suspect filed to situation the jurisdiction of the tribunal to effort her.

At the resumed proceeding successful the matter, FG’s lawyer, Mr. David Kaswe, told the tribunal that his witnesser was disposable for the commencement of the trial.

However, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s squad of lawyer led by Mr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa, SAN, drew attraction of the tribunal to a preliminary objection his lawsuit filed to situation its jurisdiction to perceive the case.

He told the tribunal that the objection was centers connected alleged maltreatment of the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice.

More so, the defence counsel complained that the prosecution failed to service him with copies of afloat statements of the projected witnesses.

He contended that conception 36 of the 1999 Constitution, arsenic amended, made it compulsory that the suspect indispensable beryllium served with the impervious of grounds to alteration her to efficaciously hole her defence to the charge.

On his part, FG’s lawyer argued that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s objection was not capable to stall the scheduled commencement of your trial.

He urged the tribunal to let the prosecution to unfastened its case, insisting that the tribunal has the requisite jurisdiction to perceive cybercrime charge.

“We person exercised our prosecutorial powers according to some the Constitution and the Cybercrime law. The AGF has the powerfulness to similar complaint against anyone, ” Kaswe added.

In a little ruling, Justice Mohammed Umar held that helium would perceive the objection archetypal earlier taking further steps successful the case.

Specifically, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was earlier handed a six-month suspension by the Senate, was successful the complaint marked: CR/297/25, alleged to person made mendacious assassination claim.

The suspect was said to person made an allegation that immoderate politicians opposed to her were plotting to assassinate her.

According to FG, the lawmaker committed the alleged transgression erstwhile she addressed her supporters successful Kogi authorities and connected April 3, during a unrecorded broadcast connected Channels Television’s Politics Today.

She was specifically accused of naming the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and a erstwhile politician of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, arsenic participants successful the gathering wherever the crippled to destruct her was hatched.

FG told the tribunal that the suspect insisted that some Akpabio and Bello agreed that she should beryllium eliminated successful Kogi authorities nether circumstances that would look arsenic a mob action.

She was accused of causing the mendacious allegation to beryllium transmitted, knowing it would harm the estimation of some Senator Akpabio and ex-governor Bello, thereby committing an offence punishable nether conception 24(2) (c) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.

The suspect had connected June 30 erstwhile she was arraigned earlier the court, pleaded her innocence to the charge, adjacent arsenic she was granted bail connected self-recognition.

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory astatine Maitama, wherever she was arsenic docked for allegedly defaming Senator Akpabio and ex-governor Bello, had connected June 19, granted her bail to the tune of N50million with 1 surety it said indispensable beryllium a idiosyncratic of integrity that owns a landed spot successful Abuja.

The court, successful the ruling that was delivered by Justice Chizoba Orji, said its determination to merchandise the suspect connected bail was anchored connected conception 36 of the 1999 Constitution, arsenic amended, arsenic good arsenic sections 163 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.

It fixed September 23 for commencement of trial.

The station Alleged Cybercrime: Court defers Natasha’s proceedings to Oct 20 appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.