Forensic Analyst Tells Court No Nude Photos Found on Suspended UNICAL Professor’s Phones

A forensic analyst, CSP Babagana Mingali, testified in a Federal High Court in Abuja that no nude photographs were found on the mobile phones of Professor Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL). Mingali, who works at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) laboratory, was subpoenaed as the second defense witness in the ongoing sexual harassment trial.

During his testimony before Justice James Omotosho, Mingali stated that he conducted a forensic analysis on two mobile phones belonging to Ndifon and his co-defendant, lawyer Samuel Anyanwu, following a court order dated July 5, 2024. His examination, completed on August 8, 2024, found no evidence of nude images, email trails, voice recordings, text messages, or incriminating conversations. He also noted that the WhatsApp applications on the phones were outdated, which may have affected the retrieval of information.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is prosecuting Ndifon on allegations of sexual harassment, cybercrime, and attempting to pervert the course of justice. The charges include claims that he requested a female student, identified as TKJ, to send him explicit images via WhatsApp. Anyanwu, his legal counsel, is also charged with allegedly attempting to intimidate the star witness by calling her during the pendency of the case.

Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Mingali explained that sophisticated forensic tools were used in the analysis, including a universal forensic extraction device and specialized cables. Despite these efforts, no relevant data was retrieved. He suggested that updating the WhatsApp application on the phones could potentially yield additional information.

During cross-examination by ICPC counsel Osuobeni Akponimisingha, Mingali stated that he had five years of forensic experience. He claimed that ICPC staff were also present at the NSA forensic lab but was unable to provide concrete evidence to support this assertion. He acknowledged that the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the ICPC have their own forensic labs and confirmed that ICPC had used similar forensic tools in producing images presented as evidence earlier in the case.

Justice Omotosho admitted the forensic report and related documents as exhibits. The trial continues as both sides present their arguments in court.