The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has adjourned the hearing of a preliminary objection filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to December 1.
Justice Chizoba Oji fixed the new date after the prosecution counsel, David Kaswe, informed the court that although the response to the objection had been filed, it had not been properly served on the defence team.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is standing trial on a three-count charge of alleged defamation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. The charges were filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
In the charge marked FCT/HC/CR/297/25, the senator was accused of making false claims linking Akpabio and Bello to an alleged plot to kill her, and of making statements connecting Akpabio to the death of Miss Iniobong Umoren. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
At the previous hearing on September 23, her counsel, Ehighioge West-Idahosa (SAN), told the court that the objection was challenging the validity of the charges, describing it as a “threshold jurisdictional matter.”
During Monday’s proceedings, Kaswe said the counter-affidavit had been served at an incorrect address, and he requested a short adjournment to enable proper service.
West-Idahosa confirmed that the defence had not received the prosecution’s response and sought a long adjournment, noting that some members of the defence team would attend the International Bar Association Conference in Canada.
After hearing both sides, Justice Oji granted the request and adjourned the case to December 1 for hearing.
