The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi SAN has formally terminated the criminal charges of defamation brought against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
A notice by the federal government bringing the trial of the Kogi Central Senator to a halt was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Court document sighted on Sunday by PUNCH correspondent by Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar on behalf of the AGF.
It was titled Notice of discontinuance of proceedings in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR.195/2025′, and brought pursuant to sections 108 (1) (2) (5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
The court document read ‘Take notice that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation intends to discontinue proceedings in this matter’.
Meanwhile, Justice Umar Garba of the Federal High Court where Senator Natasha is standing trial is expected to dismiss the charges on the next adjourned date after the resumption from Christmas vacation of the Court.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was on 3 June 2025 arraigned before the court for allegedly making defamatory statements implicating the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and a former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello in an alleged assassination plot.
The Senator who was then on suspension was, among others, accused of breaching Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990 in the way and manner the alleged plot to assassinate her by Akpabio and Yahaya Bello was made on a television interview.
At the arraignment, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan pleaded not guilty to the charge and was admitted to bail by the Judge on self recognizance.
