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The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has shifted the hearing in the defamation case involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to December 1, 2025. The adjournment was made to allow the prosecution properly serve its response to the defence’s preliminary objection.
Justice Chizoba Oji fixed the new date following a request from prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, who informed the court that although the response to the defence’s objection had been filed, it was mistakenly sent to an incorrect address and not received by the defence team.
“It would not be fair for the prosecution to insist that the matter proceed when the defence team has indicated its intention to respond to our counter. We are, therefore, asking for a short adjournment to enable us to effect proper service,” Kaswe told the court.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on June 19 on a three-count charge bordering on harmful imputation, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
In the charge marked FCT/HC/CR/297/25, the senator was accused of making damaging statements against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. She was alleged to have claimed that both men conspired to kill her and further made statements linking Akpabio to the death of Miss Iniobong Umoren.
The Kogi Central lawmaker pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
During the previous hearing on September 23, her lead counsel, Ehighioge West-Idahosa (SAN), informed the court that the defence had filed a preliminary objection challenging the validity of the charges, arguing that the Office of the Attorney-General had acted beyond its prosecutorial powers.
He described the objection as a “threshold jurisdictional matter” rather than an argument on the substance of the case. West-Idahosa further stated that the objection was served on the Attorney-General’s office on September 18, but no reply had been received.
At Monday’s proceedings, the senior lawyer confirmed that the defence had not been served the prosecution’s counter-affidavit.
“The prosecution’s counter was not served on any of the defendant’s lawyers. We intend to respond when we are properly served, as we have additional evidence to file,” West-Idahosa said.
He also requested a longer adjournment, noting that members of the defence team would be attending the International Bar Association Conference in Canada.
After listening to both parties, Justice Oji adjourned the matter to December 1, 2025, for the hearing of the preliminary objection.
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