Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello would testify as witnesses during the defamation trial of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central is being prosecuted by the Federal Government at the FCT High Court in Abuja.
She was alleged to have made defamatory remarks against Akpabio and Bello during a live television programme.
In suit filed on May 16, Akpoti-Uduaghan is the sole defendant.
The government accused the senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person”, citing Section 391 of the penal code, CAP 89, laws of the federation, 1990. The offence is punishable under Section 392 of the same law.
The list of witnesses shows that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, will testify during the trial.
One of the charges was linked to the allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. Natasha accused the duo of plotting to assassinate her.
The Federal Government is accusing the Senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person,” citing Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990. The offence is punishable under Section 392 of the same law.
FG accused the Senator of having, in the TV interview, made an imputation concerning Senator Akpabio, saying that, “It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me.
“Let’s ask the Senate President, why in the first instance did he withdraw my security, if not to make me vulnerable to attacks. He then emphasized that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi.
“What is important to me is to stay alive, because dead men tell no tales, who is going to get justice for me?” a statement FG said, the Senator knew or had reason to believe that such imputations would harm the reputation of the Senate President.
In count two, Akpoti-Uduaghan was accused of “Making an imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person, contrary to Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, and punishable under Section 392 of the same Law.
Natasha was suspended from the Senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following her seating arrangement altercation with Akpabio.
