Suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan, was arraigned on Thursday at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja over allegations of defaming Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
The charges, filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), include three counts of making harmful imputations during a television interview. Natasha, accompanied by her husband and supporters, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following her plea, the prosecution counsel, David Kaswe, requested that she be remanded in prison pending trial. However, her lawyer, Prof. Roland Otaru (SAN), successfully applied for bail, arguing that the application was ready for hearing and that Natasha posed no flight risk.
Justice Chizoba Orji granted bail at N50 million, requiring a surety with landed property within the court’s jurisdiction. The judge emphasized that the offense was not capital and that the law presumes the defendant innocent until proven guilty.
The trial has been set for September 23, 2025. The charges allege that Natasha falsely accused Akpabio and Bello of plotting to kill her and linked Akpabio to the death of one Miss Imoren Iniobong.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
