Suspended UNICAL Law Dean Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Sexual Harassment

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced suspended University of Calabar law dean Prof. Cyril Ndifon to five years in prison after finding him guilty of sexually harassing female students. The judgment, delivered Monday by Justice James Omotosho, upheld two of the four charges brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

Ndifon received a two-year sentence on one count and five years on another, with both terms to run concurrently. The court found that the prosecution proved he demanded explicit photographs from students, including a diploma student identified in court records as “TJK,” who testified alongside other witnesses.

His co-defendant, lawyer Sunny Anyanwu, was discharged and acquitted after the court held that the evidence did not link him to any wrongdoing.

The case originated from allegations of sexual harassment, cybercrime, and attempts to obstruct justice. After the prosecution closed its case in February, Ndifon sought to have the charges dismissed, but the court ruled in March that he had a case to answer.

Testifying in his own defence, Ndifon denied the allegations, arguing that the prosecution’s evidence was insufficient. A forensic analyst from the Office of the National Security Adviser also appeared as a defence witness. The court ultimately ruled that the testimony presented by the prosecution was credible enough to support a conviction.