Prof. Cyril Ndifon, suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL) has been slammed with 14-count charges and will be facing a trial at the Federal High Court in Calabar, Cross River State.
The 14-count charges, CONVERSEER reports were filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after investigations.
Speaking on the matter via a statement in Abuja, the ICPC’s Spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, said the commission had filed a criminal charge against Ndifon having concluded investigation into the professor’s alleged gross misconduct against some of his students.
The commission said a 4-count charge bordering on sexual harassment, official corruption, and abuse of office contrary to Sections 8, 18 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, had been preferred against the senior lecturer and would be brought to Court on a day yet-to-be-announced.
In the charge marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/511/2023, one of the counts reads: “that you, Professor CYRIL OSIM NDIFON (m) between June-September, 2023 at Calabar, within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court.
“And, while being a public officer charged with responsibility for the certification of students as fit in learning and character as a prerequisite for the award of Bachelor’s degree in law and admission into the Nigeria Law School.
“Used your office and position as the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar to gratify yourself.
“By soliciting for nude photographs and videos from one Ms ABC (not real name), a year 2 Diploma Student of the University of Calabar, through WhatsApp chats on your telephone number 0803***.
“And, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”
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Reacting to the development, the Concerned Ikom Group, said they are watching with keen interest on the trails of one of their illustrious sons and would make public statements later.
The group spokesperson, Agbor Agbor, said nobody is supporting crime and all sorts of alleged gross misconduct while holding public office, but enjoined the ICPC to ensure that justice is done and seen to have been done in the case so that all parties would have been satisfied.
Recall that on the wee hours of Thursday, October 5, 2023, security operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) stormed Prof Ndifon’s premises at Akpabuyo, on the outskirts of Calabar metropolis, and whisked Ndifon away to Abuja.
According to the DSS, they carried out the cover operations in collaboration with a sister agency, ICPC, after Ndifon failed to respond to several invitations for questioning over some criminal allegations against him.
The erudite Professor of law has been having a running battle with the management of UNICAL over alleged misconduct.
CONVERSEER reports that Prof. Ndifon was invited twice by the university panel but failed to appear before the panel set up to investigate his alleged misconduct.