Sexual Harassment Charge: Akpoti Could Be Jailed for 14 Years, If- Lawyer
A Public affairs analyst and lawyer, Amadi Anyakweh Miracle Esq., has said Natasha Akpoti-Uduagha risks spending 14 years imprisonment if found guilty over a sexual allegation against Senator Godswill Akpabio in a court of law.
Akpabio accused the suspended Kogi Central district senator of mocking him in a satirical apology posted recently on social media.
The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, under case number CS/384/25 and dated May 7, wants Akpoti-Uduaghan to delete the post from all her social media platforms.
The Port Harcourt-based lawyer and analyst said the court would not be bound to rely on statements not supported by real, circumstantial, or documentary evidence.
“How do we figure out the truthfulness of Senator Natasha’s allegation?“
The court will expect that he who alleges proves.
The Evidence Act makes provisions for the rules governing all kinds of statements and evidences. So, a statement not supported by real, circumstantial, or documentary evidence will be discountenanced and the court will not be bound to rely on it.
“The Law governing evidence is clear on the fact that any statement not linked to material evidence will be treated as hearsay and such kind of evidence is not admissible under the Nigerian law.”
According to him, “Anyone who alleges must prove the existence of his allegation. That is the position of our law.”
Amadi said failure to provide sufficient credible evidence in court might land Senator in trouble for malicious prosecution and perjury.