Court Dismisses FG’s Request for Bench Warrant Against Senator Natasha
Court Dismisses FG’s Request for Bench Warrant Against Senator Natasha
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday declined the Federal Government’s request to issue a bench warrant against suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in a defamation case filed against her.
The case, instituted by the government on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, was slated for arraignment.
However, during the proceedings, prosecuting counsel David Kaswe informed the court that the defendant was absent.
Kaswe told the court that he served the charge on the defendant’s counsel, which meant that the defendant was well aware of the matter, and prayed the court for a bench warrant to be issued against the defendant for failing to appear in court in spite of being aware of the charge against her.
“It was this morning that we were able to serve the defendant through her counsel but the defendant is not in court. It means the defendant is aware of this matter but decided not to appear in court, in the light of this, I apply that a bench warrant be issued against her for failure to attend court to take her plea in this criminal charge,” Kaswe said.
Counsel to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Mr Jacob Usman, SAN, in his reaction, told the court that he found the application of the prosecution strange and uncourteous, adding that when he got wind of the pendency of the suit, he called the prosecutor to let him know that his client had asked him to receive the charge on her behalf.
“I was served the charge at 9:15 this morning here in court so how will the defendant know that the matter is coming up when she has not seen the charge?
“I find the application strange and it should be dishonoured, if the defendant has not been served, she cannot be in court,” he said and prayed the court to dis-countenance the application as it was made in bad taste.
The trial judge, Justice Musa Umar, asked the prosecutor if he had served the charge on the defendant, to which he answered in the negative.
Justice Umar, therefore, said that it was impossible to grant the application of the prosecutor and issue a bench warrant for the arrest of the defendant when she had not been served.
The judge declined the request for a bench warrant and instead approved the prosecutor’s alternative application for substituted service through the senator’s counsel. The matter was subsequently adjourned to June 30 for arraignment.
The charges against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stem from comments she made during a Channels Television interview, where she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello of plotting to kill her in Kogi State.
The Federal Government is prosecuting her for allegedly making statements deemed damaging to the reputation of both Akpabio and Bello.
