Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, on Wednesday denied allegations that he solicited for nude photographs of the female student.
The professor denied the allegations before Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court in Abuja while being cross examined.
He was cross examined by the lawyer of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Osuobeni Akponimisingha.
Ndifon said the female student, identified as TKJ, was like a daughter to him.
He said: I got to know her from her uncle.
“She did not send her nude pictures to me and I did not demand for her nude pictures.”
He denied that the conversations, pictures, and videos extracted by the ICPC were from his phone.
He said: “They are not.
“If you look at it, we can’t vouch for them.
“They have been edited.
“I don’t even know where they got the conversations and videos from.”
Ndifon said he did not present the phone he claimed to have used in communicating with TKJ to the ICPC because the anti-corruption commission did not request for the student’s own phone.
He said: “The prosecution did not deem it necessary to investigate her phone.
“So why should I bring mine?”
Also Read:
- Gov. Otti orders demolition of dilapidated buildings at varsity
- Tinubu celebrates Professor Gabriel Osuide at 90
- AMCON recovers N2.1t debts despite challenges
- NCoS reform: Panel identifies key areas for improvement
- UNILAG’s best graduates rewarded by Gov. Abiodun
The professor, who admitted to have sent the N3,000 to TKJ from his First Bank account, said he had given her money many times.
“I sent more than N3,000 to her, sometimes I give her cash,” he said.
Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter until Thursday for continuation of trial.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the suspended Dean is standing trial for alleged sexual harassment.
Ndifon is charged alongside his lawyer, Samuel Anyanwu, on four counts of sexual harassment, cybercrime, and attempt to pervert the course of justice.
The ICPC alleged that Ndifon, while serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Law at UNICAL, requested the female Diploma student, identified as TKJ and a star witness, to send him “pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs of herself” through WhatsApp chats.
Anyanwu, one of the lawyers of the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on January 22, 2024 by the commission on the allegation that he called the star witness on her mobile phone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon to threaten her.
They both pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
