An Abuja On Monday rejected Federal Government’s request to issue an arrest warrant against suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Udughan of Kogi Senatorial District.
The FG’s counsel, David Kaswe, made the request after Akpoti-Udughan failed to appear in court for allegedly defamation suit.
Kaswe told presiding judge, Justice Muhammed Umar, that the charge had been delivered to the senator through her counsel, Johnson Usman.
Therefore, she ought to have been aware of the arraignment since her lawyer had been served.
Reacting to the argument, the judge said that since Akpoti-Udughan had not been previously served with the charge or notified of the hearing, it “was inconceivable for her to have appeared in court”.
Justice Muhammed Umar also said serving the charge through her counsel was insufficient to presume her awareness of the arraignment.
The Federal Government’s prosecutor then applied for subtitled service of the charge through her legal counself, which the judge granted and fixed June 30 for arraignment.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, filed the suit after Akpoti-Udughan alleged that Senato President Godswill Akpabio and former Governor of Kogi State Yahayw Bello are plotting her assassination.
Akpabio and Bello are named as the nominal complainants in the suit, while the senator is named as sole defender.
