A High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has rejected the federal government application to remand the embattled lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in prison pending the determination of the criminal case against her.
The FCT High Court sitting at Maitama granted the lawmaker N50 million bail on Thursday.
The federal government filed the charge through the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on a three-count charge.
Justice Chizoba Orji rejected the Federal Government’s application for the defendant to be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of the case against her.
Justice Orji held that she found no reason to deny Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan bail.
According to the judge, there was sufficient evidence that the suspended lawmaker is willing to face her trial.
The court, however, said the defendant must produce one surety aside the N50 million bail. The surety must be a person of integrity that owns a landed property in Abuja.
The judge explained that the ruling is based on section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as section 163 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
The court subsequently adjourned the case till September 23, 2025, for trial.
The federal government said its prosecuting the lawmaker for allegedly making an alleged false claim that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former Governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, were plotting to assassinate her.
The ongoing prosecution came after she accused the Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment which led to her controversial six months suspension from the Senate.
As part of the suspension, her salary, security details, and access to the National Assembly were revoked.
The federal government had previously filed a criminal defamation case against the lawmaker on the same matter at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, making it two separate cases filed against the lawmaker by the federal government on the same issue.
