The suspended law faculty dean at University of Calabar (UNICAL), Cyril Ndifon, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment without an option of fine.
Justice James Omotosho, the presiding judge in the case, handed down the sentence at the federal high court in Abuja on Monday.
In 2023, Ndifon was removed as a UNICAL dean over alleged abuse of office and sexual harassment, with female students as victims.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had charged Ndifon alongside his co-defendant, Sunny Anyanwu.
Counts one and two, of four, accused Ndifon of sexually harassing some female students of the school.
The ICPC said Ndifon, while serving as a dean at UNICAL, asked a female diploma student identified as TKJ to send him “pornographic, indecent, and obscene photographs of herself” through instant messaging.
He was also accused of having, on different occasions, asked TKJ to give him “a blow job” as an exchange for gaining admission to law.
Count three said Anyanwu, who was earlier a member of Ndifon‘s team of lawyers, attempted to influence the course of justice by threatening a prosecution witness to discourage her from cooperating with the ICPC.
In March 2024, Ndifon prayed the court to quash the criminal charges against him.
But the judge on Monday held that the ICPC proved the evidence in counts one and two beyond a reasonable doubt.
Justice Omotosho sentenced Ndifon to a two-year jail term in count one and a five-year imprisonment in count two, which must run concurrently.
The judge discharged and acquitted Anyanwu of the charge against him.
He held that the ICPC was unable to link the offences in counts three and four, in which Anyanwu’s name appeared, to Ndifon.
He observed that Ndifon was unable to controvert the evidence that he unduly pressured TKJ to perform sexual acts.
“The victim was desirous of being admitted into the university and the first defendant was in a position to help her, being the dean, and the diploma course is under his supervision,” he said.
“The instances of undue advantage are so many. The 1st defendant abused his office.”
Justice Omotosho said the court observed the first defendant and sees that the first defendant is not a witness of truth and cannot be believed by any reasonable court.
The judge said, being a first-time offender, he was minded to temper justice with mercy as prayed by Ndifon and his lawyer, Oladimeji Ekengba.
On count three, the judge said he observed that although Anyanwu made a phone call to TKJ, this was about four months before the investigation commenced into the case and a charge was preferred against Ndifon.
He said the court cannot assume or speculate on the intention of the second defendant at the time the act was committed.
The judge, however, condemned Anyanwu’s unprofessional act by calling a supposed witness in his client’s matter.
Justice Omotosho berated Ndifon, describing his conduct as immoral.
“It was with dismay I read through this case that a dean of law can turn himself into a sexual predator,” he said.
The judge said this would deter others like him in public office who have a penchant for taking undue advantage of women.
