Babatunji Wusu –
Professor Cyril Ndifon, the suspended dean of the University of Calabar’s (UNICAL) Faculty of Law, has been placed on administrative leave by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
August saw Ndifon suspended for reportedly harassing certain university female students in a sexual manner.
The suspended dean was then charged with a crime by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) in October.
Ndifon entered a not guilty plea to the four counts that were brought against him during the Monday court session.
He was charged in count one with using WhatsApp to request naked pictures and videos from a female diploma candidate in her second year.
According to count two, he was also accused of asking a 400-level female student at the Faculty of Law for naked pictures and films, with the intention of taking over as her project supervisor in order to secure her good grades.
In count three, it was claimed that he asked to view the pictures of a 16-year-old female prospective post-UTME applicant in order to persuade the faculty of law to consider her for admission.
Count four accused him of encouraging a female student to send him explicit, lewd, and pornographic photos of herself via WhatsApp.
On January 3, Okon Efut, Ndifon’s attorney, filed a bail application dated January 2 and prayed that the court allow his client bail due to health concerns.
Speaking from the dock, Ndifon said: “My lord, I was supposed to have an eye surgery on Glaucoma”
After being held in custody for roughly 22 days, Efut informed the court that the magistrate court in Calabar had granted him bail on October 27, 2023, due to his health.
According to the medical report, he claimed, the procedure was scheduled for January 11.
Nonetheless, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, an attorney for the ICPC, objected to the bail request.
Additionally, the attorney claimed that Ndifon’s counsel had intimidated the star witness for the commission over the phone.
James Omotosho, the presiding judge, then invited Sunny Anyanwu, the attorney, to step forward.
Anyanwu acknowledged summoning the witness, Tochi Kanu, when prompted to address the accusation.
After that, the judge gave Anyanwu instructions to file his affidavit of facts so the court could make a decision.
In addition, Omotosho expressed his curiosity as to why Ndifon had postponed the surgery because the magistrate court had granted him bail in October.
Ndifon will be remanded in Kuje Correctional Center until January 10, when the judge will hear his bail request.
