Court rejects government’s request, adjourns arraignment until June 30
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
A court on Monday turned down an application by the Federal Government to issue an arrest warrant against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan because the prosecutor only served her counsel the hearing papers on the court premises at 9.15am this morning.
The government is prosecuting Natasha at the Federal High Court in Abuja on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello.
Prosecuting counsel D.D Kasue told the court that the matter was for arraignment but that Natasha was not in court, despite him serving the charge on her counsel, which meant that she was well aware of the matter.
Kasue asked the court for a bench warrant against the defendant for failing to appear in court in spite of being aware of the charge.
“It was this morning that we were able to serve the defendant through her counsel but the defendant is not in court.
“So 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,” Kasue said.
Natasha’s counsel Jacob Usman SAN, countered that he found the application of the prosecution strange and uncourteous.
Usman told the court 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 9:15am this morning here in court so how will the defendant know that the matter is coming up when she has not seen the charge? Usman wondered.
“I find the application strange and it should be dishonoured, if the defendant has not been served, she cannot be in court.”
Usman urged the court to discountenance the application, saying it was made in bad taste.
Judge Musa Umar asked Kasue if he had served the charge on the defendant to which he answered no.
Umar ruled that it was impossible to grant the application of the prosecutor and issue a bench warrant for the arrest of Natasha when she had not been served.
He granted the application for substituted service through Natasha’s counsel which the prosecutor did in court.
The judge adjourned the case until June 30 for arraignment.
The matter is over alleged defamatory comments Natasha allegedly made, including a plot to assassinate her, against Akpabio and Bello on a live appearance on Channels Television on 3 April 2025.
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