By Uche Onyeali
Hight Court of the Federal Capital Ferritory, FCT, sitting in Maitama yesterday struck out the criminal charges instituted by the federal government against the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The presiding judge, Justice Chizoba Orji struck out the suit, following a notice of discontinuance filed by the federal government.
At the court session, counsel to Akpoti-Uduaghan, West Idahosa moved for the matter to be struck out, following the prosecution’s application for discontinuance.
Idahosa also prayed the court to release all documents belonging to the defendant and her sureties, a request that the prosecution counsel did not oppose.
Consequently, the case was struck out and Justice Orji discharged the sureties and ordered that all their documents be returned to them.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned in June 2025 on a three-count charge bordering on criminal defamation, with the federal government as the complainant. The charges were filed on May 16, 2025 in suit number CR/297/25.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello were the nominal complainants in the matter.
According to the charge, Akpoti-Uduaghan was accused of making “imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person,” an offence under Section 391 of the Penal Code.
Reacting after the court session, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the outcome as a vindication of her position.
“Today’s outcome affirms my belief in the rule of law. I remain committed to serving my constituents and defending the democratic rights of all Nigerians,” the lawmaker said.
