The Federal High Court in Abuja has on Friday declared the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, guilty of contempt.
The court ruled Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s liability is unconnected to a satirical apology she posted on her Facebook page on April 27.
Justice Binta Nyako delivered the ruling in the case filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who challenged her suspension. The proceedings began with a contempt application filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In his application, Akpabio argued that a social media post made by the senator violated a previous court order that prohibited all parties from commenting to the press or posting on social media regarding the case.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel contended that the post was unrelated to the court order concerning her suspension and referred instead to a separate issue involving sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio.
However, Justice Nyako determined, after reviewing both the post and the contempt application filed by the third respondent, that she was convinced the content was linked to the suspension matter before the court.
As a result, she found the senator guilty of contempt.
The judge ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan to publish an apology in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page within seven days.
The court also imposed a fine of ₦5 million on Akpoti-Uduaghan.
On Monday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja for her second arraignment over allegations of defamation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
