Prof. Cyril Ndifon of UNICAL, sentenced to five years in prison for sexual harassment
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Cyril Ndifon, suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), to five years in prison for sexual harassment. Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment on Monday, finding Ndifon guilty on two counts. The court imposed a two-year term for the first count and a five-year term for the second, to run concurrently, without an option of fine.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had accused Ndifon of exploiting female students, including pressuring a Diploma student, identified as TKJ, to send explicit photos and perform sexual acts in exchange for admission assistance.
Ndifon’s co-defendant, Sunny Anyanwu, who had been accused of attempting to obstruct justice by contacting the key witness, was acquitted. The judge ruled that Anyanwu’s contact occurred before charges were filed, and criminal intent could not be established.
Justice Omotosho criticised Ndifon’s actions, highlighting the abuse of his position as Dean, noting that while Ndifon is a first-time offender, the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences and serves as a deterrent to public officials.
