The Federal High Court in Abuja has shifted the trial of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on alleged cybercrime to November 24.
Justice Mohammed Umar, who fixed Monday for the commencement of trial, was not in court due to the protest organised by activist Omoyele Sowore to demand the release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
Justice Umar’s court, at the third floor of the high-rise building, was under lock and key on Monday as court activities were crippled.
The matter was, however, fixed for November 24 when activities at the court resumed on Tuesday.
The judge on Sept. 22, fixed today for the hearing after the trial was stalled owing to an objection raised by the defendant.
Mrs 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 until 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 raised an objection.
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.
Mr West-Idahosa told the court that a notice of preliminary objection to challenge the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case had already been filed.
He said the objection is not to the nature of the charge, but 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 Mr Kaswe argued that the objection filed by the defendant 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 to first determine the objection raised by the defence before taking any further steps in the case.
Mrs 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 to malign, incite and endanger lives and breach 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-Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to kill her 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 State.
The charge is brought under the Cybercrimes Prohibition, Prevention, etc (Amendment) Act 2024.
(NAN)