Shekinat Abubakar
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has found the suspended Senator Representing Kogi Central Senatorial district, Natasha Akpoti-Udaughan, guilty of contempt of court.
She was ordered to tender an apology to the court, which will be published in two national dailies and on her Facebook page, to purge herself from contempt.
The Court affirmed Senate’s power to discipline members
Justice Binta Nyako, in a judgment on Friday, held that under the Senate Rules, the Senate President is empowered to allocate seats for members and such a member is only allowed to speak from the seat allocated to him or her.
Justice Nyako found that since Natasha was not speaking from the sit allocated to her during the Senate’s sitting of February 20, she was not entitled to be heard
The judge held that although the Senate could suspend its members, it should reconsider the period of such suspension.
She urged the Senate to consider recalling her to afford her the opportunity to represent her constituency and for her to also apologise to the Senate.
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.
Credits : TVCNEWS
