Sexual Harassment: Forensic Analysis Reveals Several Students’ Nude Photos in Professor Ndifon’s Phone, ICPC Investigator Tells Court

Alex Enumah in Abuja

An investigator with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Lucy Ogechi, yesterday told a Federal High Court in Abuja, that result from a forensic analysis on the mobile phone of the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Cyril Ndifon, revealed that there were several nude photographs from many contacts. 

Ogechi, stated this while being led in evidence by ICPC’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, in the ongoing trial of Ndifon and his lawyer, Sunny Anyannwu bordering on sexual harassment.

The lecturer and legal practitioner were arraigned by the federal government on an amended four count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and an attempt to perverse the cause of justice.

At yesterday’s proceedings, the witness, revealed that a Diploma student (name withheld) of the university sent pornographic photographs of herself to the suspended lecturer through his mobile telephone at different times. 

According to Ogechi following complaints by the nominal complainant the Commission had swung into action by carrying out some investigations, adding that the lecturer was confronted with their findings but, refused to make any statement.

The witness added that when the 1st defendant refused to speak, the Commission then went to his lawyer (2nd defendant) with the same allegations, who however denied the allegations.

Speaking further, Ogechi told the court that report from the forensic analysis and the call log of one of the victims of the alleged sexual harassment, simply identified as KYJ and other information from the network provider (Airtel) shows that the second defendant was the one that called the victim to refrain from exposing the don.

“We retrieved the lawyer’s phone from him and he eventually made his statement before one Barrister Fidelis Isong.”

The prosecution witness added that the ICPC investigation in TKJ ‘s case showed that sex, nude pictures and videos were allegedly “being requested by the first defendant as currency for admission of TKJ.”

Forensic analysis in respect of the seized phones, statement of the first and second defendants, and a letter from Airtel to the Chairman, ICPC, were all tendered by the anti-graft agency as exhibits and they were admitted by the court.

During cross examination, the defendants’ lawyer, Wilberforce Otuagona, asked the ICPC official if she did all the forensic analysis as a lawyer, to which she said no, adding that she analysed the report presented to her by the ICPC team.

The witness was asked if the Dean and the victim were in a relationship or not.

The official said the only relationship she knows “is student-teacher relationship.”

Recall that the Commission in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), had last October arrested the Professor in Calabar, Cross River State, after he was alleged to have shunned several invitations extended to him over alleged sexual harassment of students in the Law Faculty of the University of Calabar.

They are currently being remanded at the Kuje Correctional Center pending the hearing and determination of their bail.

According to the ICPC, the offence with which the defendants were charged contravenes Section 8 of the Corrupt Practices Act by “unethically and habitually requested/solicited and received sexual gratification cum pleasure in exchange for grades and mark upgrades from his female students.”

Count 4 of the amended charge reads: “That you Professor Cyril Osim Ndifon (M) and Barrister Sunny Anyanwu (M) sometime in the month of November, 2023 or thereabouts, at Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire among yourselves to call “TKJ” (Not real name) on her mobile telephone number: 070**, a prosecution witness in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/511/2023 between Federal Republic of Nigeria and Professor Cyril Osim Ndifon during the pendency of the said criminal charge, and threatened her not to honour the invitation of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission in respect of the criminal investigation against Professor Cyril Osim Ndifon which conduct, you both knew was intended to perverse the cause of justice and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 182 of the Penal Code Cap. 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, 2006.”

They however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At yesterday’s proceedings representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), had besieged the court to personally observed the trial.