A high court in Lokoja ordered Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to pay former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello N1 billion for defamatory remarks.
The presiding judge, A.S. Ibrahim, ruled on Thursday, April 23, that the claimant had established his case on the balance of probability.
The lawsuit, designated HCL/16/2023, focused on remarks made by Akpoti-Uduaghan on November 4, 2022, during an appearance on the Arise TV program The Morning Show.
The judge further declared that the remarks, which called Bello a “murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi state,” were unjustified and defamatory.
“The interview granted by the defendant on 4/11/2022 on Arise TV programme ‘The Morning Show’ is defamatory to the claimant’s character and reputation.”
“The said interview of 4/11/2022, in which the defendant described the claimant as a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi state, was without justification.”
Additionally, the judge further imposed a perpetual injunction prohibiting Akpoti-Uduaghan, her agents, or accomplices from continuing to disparage Bello on radio or television.
BACKSTORY…
In 2022, Senator Natasha Akpoti had earlier accused governor Yahaya Bello of several erroneous crimes including plotting to remove her from the senate and killed.
While speaking during the interview, she also described the then Kogi State governor as Bello a “murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi state.”
Natasha Reacts To Court Judgment
Meanwhile, Natasha Akpoti has rejected the judgment, insisting that the court failed to properly evaluate the evidence she presented in her defence.
She said, “I reject this judgment in its entirety. We presented substantial and credible evidence before the court, which, in our view, clearly justified our position. Unfortunately, these were not given due consideration”.
She further added that “My statements were based on information available at the time and were made in good faith, in the interest of accountability to the people of Kogi State.”
