‘Sexual assault’: Court grants N250m bail to suspended UNICAL professor

A federal high court in Abuja has granted bail to Cyril Ndifon, the suspended law faculty dean at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).

Ndifon was granted bail in the sum of ₦250 million with two sureties in like sum.

James Omotosho, the presiding judge, also admitted Sunny Anyanwu, a lawyer charged alongside Ndifon by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to a ₦50 million bail with two sureties.

Omotosho said the court granted them bail because the defendants made a serious case for one.

BACKGROUND

Ndifon was suspended as a UNICAL dean in August 2023 for allegedly sexually harassing some female students.

Following protests and public outcry from the student community, an investigative panel probed the allegations against him.

The panel found the professor, who has since been replaced, guilty of sexual harassment and abuse of office.

The ICPC similarly investigated the professor’s alleged gross misconduct and arrested him on October 4.

It arraigned the senior lecturer on a four-count charge bordering on sexual harassment, official corruption, and abuse of office.

On January 25, Ndifon was re-arraigned alongside Anyanwu as 1st and 2nd defendants on an amended four-count charge bordering on “alleged sexual harassment” and “attempt to pervert the course of justice”.

Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was included in an amended charge filed on January 22 by the ICPC.

It was alleged that Anyanwu called one of the prosecution witnesses, during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon, to threaten her.

The court had, in previous proceedings, denied the duo bail, on the grounds that the said witness, identified as TKJ by the court, must be allowed to give her evidence before their bail hearing.

TKJ, a female UNICAL student, testified on Wednesday and was cross-examined by Joe Agi, a defence lawyer.

BAIL CONDITIONS

Delivering his ruling on Ndifon’s bail application, Omotosho admitted him to a N250 million bail with two sureties.

The judge held that the two sureties, who must be owners of landed property in Abuja with registered titles and a minimum valuation of ₦150 million, must submit their certified bank statements to the registrar of the court.

He also directed Ndifon to submit his international passport to the court registrar.

The judge ordered the suspended dean to sign an undertaking not to interfere with the case, be ready to stand trial, and not delay the trial.

Also ruling on Anyanwu’s bail plea, Omotosho, who granted him a N50 million bail with two sureties, held that one of the sureties must have a property in Abuja, but not with a registered title.

The judge directed the sureties to file their bank statements and ordered Anyanwu to sign an undertaking not to interfere with the trial.

He said the court exercised discretion in favour of the defendants due to the nature of the offence and on health grounds.

Omotosho also ordered an accelerated hearing of the matter.