Natasha’s trial on another defamation charges on Akpabio, Yahaya Bello suffers adjournment

For the second time in 24 hours, the trial of the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan for allegedly defaming the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Adosa Bello suffered an adjournment.

The trial scheduled to kick-start on Tuesday was put off by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja following objections raised by the suspended senator against the competence of the charges.

GALAXY TV reports that Natasha predicated her objections on the alleged abuse of prosecutorial powers by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation AGF by filing charges against her at the Federal High Court and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on the same subject matter and same complaints.

When the matter was called, David Kaswe, a lawyer from the Ministry of Justice informed the court of his readiness to open the case against the defendant.

He claimed to have his first witness, a Superintendent of Police, Abdulhafeez Garba in court to testify against the senator.

He requested for permission of the court to call the witness into the witness box.

The request was however opposed by lead counsel to the defendant, Ehighioge West-Idahosa SAN on the ground that his client has filed a motion on notice, challenging the competence of the charges and the jurisdiction of the court.

However, the trial Judge, Justice Chizoba Orji found in the case file that the AGF office was served with the motion but had not responded as required by law.

After taking arguments for and against adjournment, Justice Chizoba Orji held that the proper thing was to shift trial to enable AGF respond to the motion in the interest of fair hearing.

The Judge subsequently fixed October 27 for Natasha’s motion to be heard along with the response of the AGF.