The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Professor Cyril Ndifon, to five years imprisonment for sexually harassing his female students.

Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice James Omotosho found Prof. Ndifon guilty on two of the four counts brought against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Conviction and Sentencing

Justice Omotosho sentenced Ndifon to two years’ imprisonment on the first count and five years on the second, with both sentences to run concurrently.

The court, however, discharged and acquitted his co-defendant, Mr. Sunny Anyanwu, who had been accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The judge ruled that prosecutors failed to establish credible evidence linking him to the alleged offence.

Details of the Case

The ICPC accused Prof. Ndifon of soliciting explicit photographs from female students during his tenure as Dean of the Faculty of Law. One of the central allegations involved a female diploma student identified in court as “TJK,” who testified that Ndifon demanded pornographic images from her.

She was among four prosecution witnesses who testified about the lecturer’s alleged pattern of sexual harassment and abuse of office.

Ndifon and Anyanwu had faced charges of sexual harassment, cybercrime, and attempts to obstruct justice.

Trial Proceedings

After the ICPC closed its case on February 14, 2024, Ndifon filed a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case. The court dismissed the application on March 6, 2024, directing him to open his defence.

In his defence, Ndifon testified personally and called CSP Babagana Mingali, a forensic analyst from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), as a witness. He denied all allegations, insisting that the prosecution lacked sufficient evidence.

Court’s Final Ruling

Despite Ndifon’s claims, Justice Omotosho ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judgment was hailed as a significant step toward combating sexual harassment in Nigeria’s higher institutions, where cases of abuse by academic staff have long been a concern.