Court Sentences UNICAL Law Professor to Five Years in Prison

A Federal High Court in Abuja convicted UNICAL law professor Cyril Ndifon of sexually harassing a student and sentenced him to five years in prison, while acquitting his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu, of related obstruction charges.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), to five years in prison for sexually harassing a female student.

Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment on Monday, November 17, ruling that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had convincingly proven the first two charges against Ndifon. The professor received two years on the first count and five years on the second, with both sentences running concurrently. No option of a fine was provided.

A second defendant, lawyer Sunny Anyanwu—who had previously been part of Ndifon’s legal team—was discharged and acquitted of all accusations. Justice Omotosho held that the ICPC failed to link Anyanwu to the allegations contained in counts three and four.

The ICPC had initially filed an amended four-count charge on January 19, 2024, naming Ndifon as the primary defendant and adding Anyanwu after claims arose that he attempted to obstruct the case by contacting and allegedly intimidating the prosecution’s key witness during trial.

Court records show that Anyanwu, while acting as Ndifon’s counsel, was accused of reaching out to the witness identified as TKJ, urging her not to comply with ICPC invitations or provide written statements about the allegations.

Details of the Charges

Counts one and two centered on accusations that Ndifon sexually harassed female students. According to the ICPC, he pressured a female diploma student (TKJ) to send him inappropriate photos and repeatedly demanded sexual favors in exchange for help securing admission into the law programme. Prosecutors also alleged that he used his position as dean to exploit several female students for personal gain.

Justice Omotosho noted that TKJ’s desire for university admission placed her in a vulnerable position, and that Ndifon, who oversaw the diploma programme, abused his authority. The judge further stated that Ndifon’s testimony lacked credibility.

As a result, the court found him guilty on counts one and two.

Counts three and four involved attempts to obstruct justice. Count three was directed only at Anyanwu, while count four listed both defendants. However, the judge ruled that although Anyanwu had contacted the witness, the call occurred nearly four months before the investigation formally began. Since the court could not assume his intent at the time, he was acquitted of both counts.

Court Proceedings

The ICPC closed its case on February 14, 2024, following testimony from its fourth witness, forensic specialist Bwaigu Fungo. The defence then filed a no-case submission, arguing that prosecutors failed to establish their claims. Justice Omotosho dismissed this argument on March 6, 2024, requiring the defendants to present their defence.

Ndifon testified as the first defence witness, followed by CSP Babagana Mingali, a forensic analyst from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), who appeared as the second witness.

In the final judgment, Justice Omotosho ruled that the ICPC had fully established the necessary elements of the offences listed in the first two counts. He added that Ndifon did not effectively challenge the evidence that he exerted improper pressure on the student.

The judge also criticized Anyanwu’s decision to contact a potential witness, calling the conduct unprofessional, and described Ndifon’s actions as immoral and unbecoming of a public official.

READ ALSO: Two kidnapped UNICAL Law students regain freedom

SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, GISTREEL