Court adjourns Senator Natasha’s defamation case, reveals new date

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has adjourned the hearing of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s preliminary objection in her defamation trial to December 1, 2025.

Justice Chizoba Oji fixed the new date after the prosecution failed to properly serve its response to the defence team.

The prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, told the court that although the counter-affidavit had been filed, it was mistakenly served to the wrong address and requested a short adjournment to allow proper service.

“It would not be fair for the prosecution to insist that the matter proceed when the defence team has not been properly served,” Kaswe said.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on June 19 on a three-count charge bordering on alleged defamation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

The charges, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, accused her of making statements intended to damage the reputations of the two politicians, including claims that Akpabio and Bello conspired to harm her and were linked to the death of Miss Iniobong Umoren.

She, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

At the previous sitting on September 23, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel, Ehighioge West-Idahosa (SAN), informed the court that a preliminary objection had been filed, arguing that the AGF’s office abused its prosecutorial powers.

West-Idahosa confirmed on Monday that the defence had not yet received the prosecution’s response and requested a longer adjournment, citing that some defence team members would be attending the International Bar Association Conference in Canada.

After hearing both sides, Justice Oji granted the request and adjourned the case to December 1 for the hearing of the preliminary objection.