Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Prof Cyril Ndifon, a suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), at the Kuje Correctional Centre. This decision is pending the conclusion of his bail application following allegations of sexual misconduct against some of his students.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned Ndifon on four counts related to the alleged sexual misconduct. According to Azuka Ogugua, the spokesperson for the anti-graft agency, Ndifon pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In response to the charges, Okon Efut, the counsel for the defendant, requested bail for Ndifon, stating that the application had been filed on his behalf on January 2, 2024. The ICPC, however, opposed the bail application, alleging that Sunny Anyanwu, one of the lawyers representing the defendant, had threatened a star witness for the prosecution.
Anyanwu, defending himself, argued that the name of the alleged witness was not listed in the charges. Later, he informed the court that it was the ‘witness’ who had contacted him. Justice Omotosho directed Anyanwu to file an affidavit of fact within 48 hours regarding the alleged threat.
The court ruled that Ndifon be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre until January 10, 2024, when the hearing on his bail application is set to conclude. The case underscores the legal complexities surrounding the allegations and the procedural hurdles faced in the pursuit of justice.