A female student of University of Calabar, TKJ (not real name), has narrated before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja how she was allegedly subjected to sexual harassment by the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, UNICAL, Professor Cyril Ndifon, in exchange for admission into the tertiary institution.
The witness said the professor made several advances on her, including requesting for her nude videos repeatedly.
Professor Ndifon and one Barrister Sunny Anyanwu are standing trial for alleged sexual harassment and gratification against TKJ and others.
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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had arraigned the university don for contravening 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.”
The duo pleaded not guilty to the charges.
An official of the ICPC, Lucy Ogechi Chima, told the court that a forensic analysis carried out on the phone of the professor revealed nude photos of several contacts, including that of the witness, TKJ.
The ICPC official also accused Anyanwu, the don’s lawyer, of calling the victim on phone and telling her not to disclose any information to the anti-graft agency when its officials commenced investigation on the development.
During cross examination, the defendants’ counsel, Joe Agi, had 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.
At the resumption of trial on Tuesday, the prosecution’s star witness, TKJ, testified before Justice James Omotosho, saying she came in contact with Ndifon during her Diploma 1 Programme through some senior colleagues who were posting condolence messages to him over the death of his mother.
“So, I, being a student of the UNICAL faculty of law, decided to send my condolence messages to him.
“After that, he thanked me and asked what level I was and I told him I was in Diploma 1.
“After some days, I posted on my WhatsApp status, and the don commented asking “Is this you?” and I replied yes sir.
“He asked where I was and I told him I wasn’t in Calabar. He told me that whenever I returned, I should try and see him and I said Ok.,” the witness said.
TKJ said when she got to his office, the university prof was undressed.
“He kept me on the chair and brought out his penis and asked that I should give him a blowjob. I told him sir, please I can’t. He said I should not embarrass him. He said why am I crying? He hasn’t even touched me and I’m crying.
“I fell on my knees and begged him. He kept on coming closer, I was moving about the office and he was still following.
“He said I should please give him (blowjob) and I should not worry about admission.
“I kept on crying,” the witness added, saying she refused.
The star witness said she later apologised to the professor via WhatsApp for refusing his request at his office.
According to TKJ, he subsequently demanded she send him her nude videos.
The witness said the professor promised to help her gain admission if she sent her nude video.
“He said I should send him a video. He called me on the phone, explaining that I put my two fingers into my virgina and take a video of it and send to him.
“I told him my hands cannot enter my virgina as I was still a virgin. I sent him a message on WhatsApp but he insisted I send him a video.
“He called again and I told him I will send it. After too many calls, I had to send the video to him.
“He kept on requesting for more and that I should send videos from my chin to my virgina.”
TJK said subsequently, a sexual harassment protests was staged by several students and victims of the don because “no one wanted to be in his bad book.”
TKJ said the don kept pressuring her for videos, from his lodge outside the school, until she became “depressed”.
Still facing the panel’s investigation, the witness said the don invited her to his car and tried to sexually assault her.
“He brought out his penis inside his car and he asked me to suck or give him blowjob and make him happy.
“He bent my neck to suck his penis in front of my hostel inside his car and I begged him saying I was not feeling fine.
“He refused and kept on pushing my neck and he forced it till it entered my mouth,” the witness said while crying (she testified under shield).
She said after sometime, the suspended dean told her he was sorry, promising to give her money to treat her neck.
According to her, she sent her bank account details to the prof upon request, and he transferred ₦3,000.
The witness, through the prosecuting lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, applied to tender the print out of her bank statement showing the ₦3,000 credit alert in evidence against the prof and it was admitted by the court.
After taking part of her testimony during examination, Justice James Omotosho adjourned to February 7 for continuation of hearing.
THE WHISTLER recalls that on October 4, 2023, ICPC in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), arrested the Professor in Calabar, Cross River State, after he was alleged to have shunned several invitations extended to him.
The professor and his lawyer are still in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service.