Suspended UNICAL Law Dean, Prof. Ndifon, closes defence in Sexual Harassment trial

Suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof. Cyril Ndifon, on Friday officially closed his defence in the ongoing sexual harassment trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Presiding Judge, Justice James Omotosho, adjourned the case to July 2 for the adoption of final written addresses by both parties. This followed an indication from Ndifon’s counsel, Joe Agi, SAN, that the defence was done presenting its case.

Ndifon, who was the first defence witness (DW-1), called a total of two witnesses to support his defence. The second witness (DW-2) was CSP Babagana Mingali, a forensic analyst with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

Earlier on March 6, 2024, the court had dismissed a no-case submission filed by Ndifon and his co-defendant, Sunny Anyanwu, ruling that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had established a prima facie case against them.

The ICPC had filed a four-count amended charge against Ndifon and Anyanwu, which includes allegations of sexual harassment, cybercrime, and an attempt to pervert the course of justice.

Specifically, the anti-graft agency alleged that Ndifon, while serving as Dean, asked a female diploma student—identified as TKJ and the prosecution’s star witness—to send him “pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs” via WhatsApp.

Anyanwu, a member of Ndifon’s former legal team, was accused of threatening the star witness via phone during the ongoing trial. The charge involving Anyanwu was added in an amendment filed by the ICPC on January 22, 2024.

Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The ICPC had closed its case on February 14, 2024, after its fourth witness, Bwaigu Fungo, a forensic and intelligence analyst with the commission, was cross-examined by the defence.

Justice Omotosho will now await the final written addresses from both the prosecution and defence before delivering his ruling on the matter.