FEDERAL HIGH COURT RULES IN SEN. NATASHA’S FAVOUR, FINES HER N5M
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Senate to recall the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The court, in a judgment that was delivered by Justice Binta Nyako, described it as “excessive”, the six-month suspension that was imposed on the lawmaker by the Senate.
It faulted the provision of Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules as well as section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, declaring both as overreaching.
The court stressed that the two legislations failed to specify the maximum period that a serving lawmaker could be suspended from office.
According to the court, since lawmakers have a total of 181 days to sit in every legislative circle, the six-month suspension handed to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was akin to pushing her away from her responsibilities to her constituents for about 180 days.
Earlier, Justice Nyako found her guilty of contempt and fined her N5million to be paid to the coffers of the Federal Government.
The judge found Natasha to have violated an order of the court made on April 4 restraining parties from commenting on the subject of the pending suit.
The judge held that by posting a satirical letter on her Facebook page on April 27 while the April 4 order subsisted, Natasha was in contempt of court
The judge said since Natasha is found guilty of contempt in a civil case, thereby making it a civil contempt she would not be sent to prison but made to pay a fine and offer a public apology to the court.
Justice Nyanko ordered Natasha to pay N5m to the coffers of the Federal Government and publish a public apology in two national dailies and her Facebook page within seven days.
