The Federal Government on Monday, arraigned Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Federal High Court, Abuja over alleged cyber bullying and defamation of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and former Governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello.
The suspended senator is standing trial on a six-count criminal charge bordering on making inciting statements in public and on television amounting to cyber bullying and defamation.
The lawmaker who was accompanied by her husband into the court room to answer the charge against her, however, pleaded not guilty to all six counts.
The federal government through the Attorney-General of the Federation preferred the six-count criminal charge against her.
According to reports, Akpabio, had in a petition to the Inspector-General of Police complained about damages done to his reputation by Akpoti-Uduaghan on the accusation that he planned to eliminate her in Kogi.
The allegations in the charge are said to contravene Section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act and punishable under the same act.
The allegation border on her alleged transmission of false and injurious information via electronic means allegedly calculated to malign, incite, and endanger lives and breach public order.
Among the particulars of the charge are claims that Akpoti-Uduaghan, while addressing a gathering on April 4 in Ihima, in Kogi, alleged that Akpabio instructed Bello to have her eliminated in Kogi and not in Abuja.
Similarly, in a television interview, she allegedly repeated this narrative, suggesting a murderous conspiracy against her life by Akpabio and Yahaya Bello to take place in Kogi to make it appear as though her people were responsible.
Following her plea of not guilty, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Mohammed Abubakar prayed the court for a date to start trial and call witnesses.
Notwithstanding, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer, Prof. Roland Otaru, SAN moved a bail application for the defendant.
Otaru in his application, prayed the court to admit the defendant to bail on self recognition.
He submitted that the suspended senator was not a flight risk and would not interfere with police investigation and witnesses.
Moreover, he said that the offence his client was standing trial for was a bailable offence adding that the prosecution did not oppose the application.
The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar subsequently admitted the defendant to bail on self recognition.
He adjourned the matter until Sept. 22 for the trial to begin.