**Lists Akpabio, Yahaya Bello, 4 others as witnesses
It is more trouble for the suspended Senator for Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as the Federal Government has dragged her to court for allegedly making a false claims.
FG, in the charge marked: CR/297/25, which it instituted before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, alleged that the embattled female lawmaker who was earlier handed a six-month suspension by the Senate, made the false and defamatory remarks when she appeared as guest on live television.
It specifically accused the lawmaker who was cited as the sole defendant in the matter, of making “imputation, knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.”
According to the charge, by making such false imputation that tarnished the image of others, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, committed an offence under
391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
It added that the alleged offence is punishable under section 392 of the same law.
Giving particulars of the offence in count-one of the charge, FG, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged crime on April 3, during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
The lawmaker was said to have made an allegation that some politicians opposed to her were plotting to assassinate her.
Meanwhile, among those listed as witnesses in the matter, included the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and a former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who were cited as nominal complainants.
Even though the charge was initiated in the name of the Federal Government, it was not clear if it was filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, or by the Nigeria Police Force.
Other witnesses billed to testify in the case are two police officers that investigated the matter, Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba; a Senator, Asuquo Ekpenyong and one Sandra Duru.
The charge, dated May 16, came on the heels of a letter Senator Natasha wrote to the AGF, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, wherein she accused police of exhibiting bias in the investigation of her petitions against the Senate President.
