The suspended Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof. Cyril Ndifon, on Friday closed his defence in his trial for alleged sexual harassment at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Justice James Omotosho adjourned the matter till July 2 for adoption of final written addresses after Ndifon’s lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN), indicated his intention to close his case.
The 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 (ICPC).
While Ndifon was the first defence witness (DW-1), CSP Babagana Mingali, a Forensic Analyst, who works at the laboratory of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), was the DW-2.
Justice Omotosho had on March 6, 2024, dismissed the no-case submission filed by Ndifon and Anyanwu against the charge.
The judge, in a ruling, held that the evidence led by the prosecution constituted a prima facie case against the defendants.
He, therefore, ordered Ndifon and Anyanwu to enter their defence.
The ICPC had filed a four-count amended charge against Ndifon and Anyanwu, who was a member of the defence team.
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 a female Diploma student, identified as TKJ, to send him “pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs of herself” through WhatsApp.
Anyanwu was joined in the amended charge filed on January 22, 2024, by the commission for allegedly calling the student, who was 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 charges.
The commission closed its case on February 14, 2024.
ICPC counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, told Justice Omotosho after Bwaigu Fungo, after a forensic and intelligence analyst with the commission, was cross-examined by the defence lawyer.
© Ripples Nigeria
