UNICAL Law Dean Prof. Cyril Ndifon Jailed Five Years For Sexual Harassment Of Female Students

Abuja, Nigeria– The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday convicted the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof. Cyril Ndifon, sentencing him to five years in prison for sexually harassing his female students.

Justice James Omotosho, who delivered the judgment, found Ndifon guilty on two counts of sexual harassment out of the four charges preferred against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Ndifon’s co-defendant and lawyer, Mr. Sunny Anyanwu, was discharged and acquitted, the court ruling that there was no credible evidence linking him to any offence.

The court sentenced Ndifon to two years in prison on one count and five years on the other, with the sentences set to run concurrently.

According to the ICPC, while serving as UNICAL’s Law Dean, Ndifon allegedly demanded explicit photographs from female students via WhatsApp.

One victim, identified in court by the pseudonym ‘TJK,’ testified that Ndifon had asked her to send “pornographic, indecent, and obscene photographs” of herself. She was among four witnesses who gave evidence during the trial.

The charges against Ndifon included sexual harassment, cybercrime, and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Meanwhile, after the ICPC closed its case on February 14, 2024, Ndifon filed a no-case submission, which the court dismissed on March 6, 2024, ordering him to open his defense.

In his defense, Ndifon testified as his own witness, supported by CSP Babagana Mingali, a forensic analyst from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

However, Ndifon denied all allegations, insisting the prosecution failed to establish a prima-facie case against him.

Despite his defense, the court held that the evidence presented by the ICPC was sufficient to secure a conviction.