Nigeria’s Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday sentenced Prof. Cyril Ndifon, suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), to five years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.
In his judgment, Justice James Omotosho, held that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had been able to prove the evidence in counts one and two beyond a reasonable doubt against the 1st defendant.
Justice Omotosho, therefore, sentenced Ndifon to a two-year jail term in count one and a five-year imprisonment in count two, which must run concurrently.
The judge, however, discharged and acquitted Sunny Anyanwu, who was earlier a member of Ndifon ‘s team of lawyers, of the charges against him.
He held that the anti-corruption commission was unable to link the offences in counts three and four, in which Anyanwu’s name appeared, to the co-defendant.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ICPC had, in the amended charge dated Jan. 19, 2024, preferred four counts against Ndifon (1st defendant) and his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu (2nd defendant).
The development followed allegations that Anyanwu had attempted to pervert the course of justice by calling the star witness on her mobile phone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threaten her.
Anyanwu, while being a lawyer to Ndifon, was said to have called TKJ to not either honour the ICPC’s invitation or write any statement in respect of the allegations of sexual harassment case against his client.
The judge concluded: “It was with dismay I read through this case that a Dean of Law can turn himself to a sexual predator.”
“It was with dismay I read through this case that a dean of law can turn himself into a sexual predator,”
“The instances of undue advantage (against the female students) are so many. The first defendant abused his office.”
He said the professor’s randy nature should be condemned by all.
According to the judge, he is a disgrace to the community of learner persons and must be made to face the wrath of the law.
He said this would serve as a deterrent to others like him in public office who have penchant habit of taking undue advantage over the female folks.