Sexual Harassment: Court Remands Suspended UNICAL Professor In Prison

Suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), Professor Cyril Ndifon, has been remanded in prison custody by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

He is being prosecuted for alleged sexual harassment by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for sexual harassment.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja gave the order yesterday that the accused be remanded at the Kuje Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the conclusion of his bail application.

 The ICPC yesterday arraigned Ndifon in court on four counts of alleged sexual misconduct against some of his students.

 The professor of law however pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

 The counsel to the defendant, Okon Efut, had prayed that the defendant be granted bail as the application for that had been filed on his behalf on January 2nd, 2024.

 However, counsel to the ICPC, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, opposed the bail application on the ground that one of the lawyers representing the defendant, Barrister Sunny Anyanwu had allegedly threatened one of the star witnesses ICPC lined up for the trial.

 In his defence, Anyanwu, who had earlier argued that the name of the said witness was not listed in the charges read, later told the court that it was the ‘witness’ that called him.

 Justice Omotosho however directed Barrister Anyanwu to file his affidavit of fact within 48 hours over the threat allegation of ICPC witness leveled against him.

 He also ruled that the defendant, Professor Cyril Ndifon, be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre till on Wednesday, 10th of January, 2024 when hearing on his bail application would be concluded.