Justice Muhammed Umar yesterday dismissed the Federal Government’s bid to secure a bench warrant against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for her absence at the commencement of her defamation trial.
The request came after government counsel David Kaswe informed the court that the charge sheet had been served on the Senator’s lawyer only moments earlier. Justice Umar held that, since Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan “had not previously been served the charge or hearing notice, it was therefore inconceivable that she would be present in the courtroom.”
Rejecting the prosecution’s contention that service on counsel should suffice to put the Kogi Central lawmaker on notice, the judge refused to issue a warrant for her arrest.
The prosecution then sought—and obtained—permission to effect substituted service through Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lead counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN), after which the court adjourned the matter for her arraignment on June 30.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan faces a defamation suit brought by the Attorney-General of the Federation following her televised allegation that Senate President Goodwill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello were conspiring to have her killed.
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