UNICAL Ex-Dean Claims Emotional Connection with Star Witness in Ongoing Sexual Assault Trial

Cyril Ndifon, the former dean at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), facing sexual assault charges alongside co-defendant Sunny Anyanwu, has submitted a no-case motion before the federal high court in Abuja.

Ndifon, who was removed from his position in August 2023 following allegations of abusing his office to harass female students, had been found guilty by a UNICAL investigative panel. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) later arrested him on October 4, charging him with sexual harassment, official corruption, and abuse of office.

On February 14, the ICPC concluded its case against Ndifon. The defense team, led by senior advocate Joe Agi, filed a no-case submission, arguing that Ndifon’s relationship with the 22-year-old star witness, identified as TKJ, was consensual, citing text messages as evidence.

Agi contended that the intrusion of ICPC into Ndifon’s phone revealed private conversations between the defendant and TKJ, characterized by “emotional feelings between two lovers” rather than coercion. He criticized ICPC’s actions as an “unwholesome and illegal intrusion” impacting the characters of both parties.

Agi further claimed that ICPC seized Ndifon’s phone without a court order, breaching his right to privacy. He argued that the charges were based on an alleged offense from 2015, which Ndifon had previously been cleared of by the police.

The defense urged the court to decline jurisdiction, highlighting inconsistencies in the complaints and the late appearance of TKJ as a witness. The trial has been adjourned until February 27 for the adoption of written addresses on the no-case submission.