The Federal High Court has convicted Professor Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), sentencing him to five years in prison for sexually harassing female students. The ruling was delivered by Justice James Omotosho on Monday.
Ndifon faced a total of four charges from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), of which he was found guilty on two counts. In a separate verdict, the court acquitted his co-defendant, lawyer Sunny Anyanwu, who was accused of attempting to obstruct justice.
Justice Omotosho noted that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to implicate Anyanwu in any criminal activity.
In sentencing Ndifon, the court issued two concurrent terms: two years for one count and five years for another. The ICPC had charged that Ndifon solicited explicit photographs from female students, including a diploma student identified as ‘TJK’. Testimonies from four witnesses, including the victim, were presented during the trial.
Following the closure of the ICPC’s case on February 14, 2024, Ndifon attempted a no-case submission, which the court dismissed on March 6, 2024, prompting him to present his defense.
During his testimony, Ndifon claimed that the prosecution did not provide credible evidence to substantiate the charges against him, asserting that witness accounts lacked reliability for a conviction.
This landmark ruling highlights ongoing issues surrounding sexual harassment in educational institutions, prompting discussions on the measures necessary to protect students and ensure accountability.
