Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been granted bail by the Federal High Court, Abuja.
This comes after the female lawmaker was arraigned on Monday on six counts bordering on alleged defamation of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello by the federal government.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator pleaded not guilty, and Justice Mohammed Umar granted her bail on self-recognition.
The defendant was said to have made an allegation that some politicians opposed to her were plotting to assassinate her.
The Federal Government said Natasha committed the alleged crime when she addressed her supporters in Kogi State and on April 3, during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
She was specifically accused of naming the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, as participants in the meeting where the plot to eliminate her was hatched.
The FG told the court that the defendant insisted that both Akpabio and Bello agreed that she should be eliminated in Kogi State under circumstances that would appear as a mob action.
She was accused of making false imputations that she knew would harm the reputation of both Senator Akpabio and ex-Governor Bello, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrime Act.
Meanwhile, the defendant pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to her before trial Justice Muhammed Umar.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, told the court that he did not file any process to challenge her release on bail.
The DPPF, however, urged the court to exercise its discretion and impose conditions that would guarantee the presence of the defendant to face her trial.
On his part, counsel to the defendant, Prof. Roland Otaru, SAN, told the court that he filed a bail application on June 20.
Assuring the court that his client does not pose a flight risk and would be available for her trial, Prof. Otaru, SAN, drew the attention of the court to the fact that she is representing a constituency comprising five Local Government Areas (LGAs).
More so, he drew the attention of the judge to the fact that an Abuja High Court had earlier granted the defendant bail over a similar charge, adding that she is a senior member of the legal profession.
After he had listened to both sides, Justice Umar held that he was minded to grant the defendant bail on self-recognition.
The trial judge said it was not in dispute that the defendant is a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, adding that the charge against her contained bailable offences.
He subsequently adjourned the case till September 22 for hearing.
