The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama, has granted bail to the suspended Senator for Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to the tune of N50million.
The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Chizoba Orji, rejected application the Federal Government made for the defendant who was arraigned on a three-count charge, to be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of the case against her.
Justice Orji held that she found no reason to deny the defendant bail, saying there was sufficient evidence that she is willing to face her trial.
Consequently, aside from the N50m, the court held that the defendant must produce one surety who must be a person of integrity that owns a landed property in Abuja.
The court based its decision on section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as section 163 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
The case was subsequently adjourned till September 23 for trial. FG is prosecuting the lawmaker for allegedly making a false claim that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former Governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, were behind plot to assassinate her.
In the charge marked: CR/297/25, FG alleged that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was listed as the sole defendant, made the false and defamatory remarks when she appeared as guest on live television.
It specifically accused her of making “imputation, knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.”
VANGUARD
