Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), on Friday closed his defence in the alleged sexual harassment case before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice James Omotosho adjourned the matter until July 2, 2025 for the adoption of final written addresses by the parties involved.
This was after Ndifon’s lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN), indicated his intention to close his case.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the suspended professor closed his defence after calling two witnesses to counter the allegations levelled against him and his co-defendant, Sunny Anyanwu, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
While Ndifon was the Defence Witness 1 (DW-1), Chief Superintendent of Police Babagana Mingali, a Forensic Analyst, who works at the laboratory of the Office of the National Security Adviser, was the DW-2.
Justice Omotosho had on March 6, 2024 dismissed the no-case submission filed by Ndifon and Anyanwu against the ICPC charge.
Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling, held that the evidence led by the prosecution constituted a prima facie case against the duo.
The judge, therefore, ordered Ndifon and Anyanwu to enter their defence.
The ICPC, in the alleged sexual harassment charge, preferred a four-count amended charge against Ndifon and Anyanwu, who was earlier a member of his team of lawyers.
They were accused of alleged sexual harassment, cybercrime, and attempt to pervert the course of justice.
The ICPC alleged that Ndifon, while serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Law at UNICAL, asked the female Diploma student, identified as TKJ and a star witness, to send him “pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs of herself” through WhatsApp chats.
Anyanwu, one of the lawyers of the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on January 22, 2024 by the commission over the allegation that he called the star witness on her mobile phone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threaten her.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
The anti-corruption commission had on February 14, 2024 closed its case against the suspended professor.
The ICPC counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, told Justice Omotosho after Bwaigu Fungo, the Prosecution Witness 4, a Forensic and intelligence Analyst with the commission, was cross-examined by the defence lawyer.
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