Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The trial of the Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan, on alleged cybercrime charges was for the second time stalled, but this time at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The same scenario that prevented the trial from commencing on Monday before the Federal High Court, Abuja, also played out on Tuesday at the FCT High Court.

Apoti-Uduaghan is standing trial on a three- count charge bordering on making harmful statements against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Adosa Bello, during a television interview.

She was arraigned on June 19, 2025 by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice and admitted to bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum, after she pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The judge had held that the surety must be an owner of landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.

Justice Chizoba Orji, who granted the bail to enable the senator defend the allegations, fixed September 23, for commencement of trial.

However, when the matter was called, the senator’s lawyer, Mr Ehiogie West-Idahosa, raised objections against the competence of the charge. 

The defendant specifically accused the AGF of abusing his prosecutorial powers when he filed the same charge against her both at the Federal High Court and the High Court of the FCT. 

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Mr David Kaswe, informed the court of his readiness to open the prosecution’s case against the defendant. 

He claimed to have his first witness, a Superintendent of Police, Abdulhafeez Garba, in court to testify against the senator. 

He requested for permission of the court to call the witness into the witness box, but Apoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer quickly objected, arguing that notice of preliminary objection filed by his client must first be heard and determined before anything else.

The motion, which was challenging the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the court, according to the senior lawyer, has been served on the AGF as required by law but that the AGF had not responded. 

Reacting, Kaswe argued that he ought to have been served personally or be informed on phone about the filing of the motion.

He therefore urged the court to turn down the request of the defendant and proceed with the business of the day, which is the commencement of trial of the defendant.

Responding, Justice Orji pointed out that from the case file, it was evident that the AGF office was served with the motion and was yet to respond as required by law. 

At that point, Kaswe admitted that the AGF had been out of the country and as such, has not made the motion available to him. 

After taking arguments for and against adjournment, Justice Orji held that the proper thing was to shift trial to enable the AGF respond to the motion in the interest of fair hearing. 

The judge subsequently fixed October 27 for Apoti-Uduaghan’s motion to be heard along with the response of the AGF. 

In the charge marked: CR/297/25 and filed on May 15, 2025, Apoti-Uduaghan was, in count one, accused of making harmful imputation which she knew would harm the reputation of the Senate President, Senator Akpabio, by claiming he plotted, with former Kogi governor, Bello, to kill her.

In count two, she was accused of making a similar harmful imputation knowing that it will harm the reputation of ex-governor Bello.

In count three, she was accused of making another imputation, which she knew would harm the reputation of Akpabio by associating him with the death of one Miss Imoren Iniobong.

The post Again, Apoti-Uduaghan’s Trial On Alleged Cybercrime Against Akpabio Stalled  appeared first on THISDAYLIVE.

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