Sexual harassment: ICPC drags UNICAL professor to court

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed a criminal charge against the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof. Cyril Ndifon, over alleged sexual harassment.

The ICPC filed the criminal charge against Ndifon after the conclusion of the Commission’s investigation into the professor’s alleged gross misconduct against some of his students.

In the charge sheet number: FHC/ABJ/CR/511/2023, ICPC is arraigning the lecturer on a four-count charge bordering on sexual harassment, official corruption and abuse of office contrary to sections 8, 18, and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

One of the counts read: “That you, Professor CYRIL OSIM NDIFON (m) between June-September, 2023 at Calabar, within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, and while being a public officer charged with responsibility for the certification of students as fit in learning and character as a prerequisite for the award of Bachelor’s degree in law and admission into the Nigeria Law School, used your office and position as the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar to gratify yourself by soliciting for nude photographs and videos from one Ms. ABC (not real name), a year 2 diploma student of the University of Calabar, through WhatsApp chats on your telephone number 0803***** and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under S. 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

The ICPC, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, on Monday, October 30, 2023, said Ndifon would be arraigned in court on a date to be given by the court.

It would be recalled that the ICPC, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), on October 4, 2023, arrested Ndifon in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, after shunning several invitations extended to him.

The Star