The trial of Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegations of cybercrime has been pushed forward once again after the presiding judge, Mohammed Umar, was absent from the bench at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.
The matter had been scheduled for hearing, but with the judge unavailable, officials simply announced a new date. The case will now resume on February 4, 2026, marking yet another delay in a trial that has already seen multiple setbacks.
This is not the first time proceedings have been stalled. On October 21, the hearing failed to hold due to a protest led by activist Omoyele Sowore over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, recently convicted on terrorism-related offences.
Earlier, on September 22, the court had attempted to begin the trial after granting the senator bail, following her arraignment on June 30 on a six-count charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar. The case still failed to move forward after the defence objected to the prosecution’s readiness.
On the last adjourned date, the prosecution team led by David Kaswe came prepared to call its first witness. A television screen had already been positioned in the courtroom as part of arrangements for presenting evidence. But once again, the process halted after defence counsel, Ehiogie West-Idahosa, raised a preliminary objection.
He informed the court that the defence had filed a notice challenging what he described as an “abuse of prosecutorial powers” by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation. He also complained that the defence had not been served the statements of the prosecution witnesses.
Kaswe urged the court to proceed despite the objection, but the judge insisted on determining the application first before taking further steps. This decision pushed the hearing forward yet again.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/195/2025, accuses the senator of transmitting false and injurious information through electronic means with the intention to malign, incite and endanger lives, as well as disrupt public order. Prosecutors allege that she made claims during a gathering in Ihima, Kogi, on April 4, accusing Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello of plotting to kill her. She was also accused of repeating the claim during a television interview.
The case is being prosecuted under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Amendment Act 2024.
