Alleged Cybercrime: Court Fixes Date For Senator Natasha’s Trial
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has rescheduled the trial of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is alleged to have committed a cybercrime, for November 24.
Justice Mohammed Umar, who fixed Monday for the commencement of trial, was not in court due to the protest organised by Mr Omoyele Sowore to demand the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The matter was, however, fixed for Nov. 24 when activities at the court resumed on Tuesday.
The judge had, on September 22, fixed today for the hearing after the trial was stalled due to an objection raised by the defendant.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on June 30 on a six-count charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar.
She was granted bail, following which Justice Umar adjourned till September 22 for the commencement of trial.
However, on the last adjourned date, when the prosecuting lawyer, David Kaswe, was about to open his case by calling the 1st witness, the defence lawyer objected.
The development was after a television screen had been mounted in the courtroom, preparatory to the commencement of proceedings.
The defence lawyer, Ehiogie West-Idahosa, SAN, had expressed concern about the possibility of the prosecution opening its case.
West-Idahosa informed the court that a notice of preliminary objection had already been filed to challenge the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.
He stated that the objection is not to the nature of the charge, but to the alleged abuse of the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
The lawyer also complained about not being served with copies of the statements of the prosecution witnesses.
Although Kaswe argued that the defendant’s objection should not be allowed to stall the court’s business for the day, Justice Umar insisted that the prosecution must first respond to the objection.
The judge said he intended first to determine the objection raised by the defence before taking any further steps in the case.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, is alleged to have transmitted false and injurious information via electronic means with the intention of maligning, inciting, and endangering lives and breaching public order.
The senator was alleged to have, while addressing a gathering on April 4 in Ihima, Kogi State, accused the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of instructing ex-Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi to have her killed in the state.
She was also alleged to have, in a television interview, repeated similar claims, to the effect that the Senate president and former governor plotted to kill her in Kogi.
The charge is brought under the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, etc (Amendment) Act 2024.
