The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has affirmed the conviction and two-year prison sentence imposed on Professor Cyril Osim Ndifon, former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).
The appellate court upheld the conviction on the first count involving the solicitation of pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs from a female student through electronic communication.
The conviction was secured at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Ndifon was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment without an option of fine on the count.
Court Orders Fresh Trial on Second Count
The Court of Appeal reached a different conclusion concerning the second count, which involved an alleged offence under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act.
The appellate court held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain that count and ordered that prosecution on the charge should commence before the High Court of Cross River State.
The ICPC has indicated that it is taking steps to challenge that aspect of the judgment.
Two-Year Conviction Remains
The court’s decision therefore leaves the conviction on the first count intact while directing a fresh legal process concerning the second count.
The case dates back to investigations into allegations concerning Ndifon’s conduct while he was Dean of the Faculty of Law at UNICAL.
The ICPC said evidence presented during the original proceedings included electronic communications between Ndifon and a female student. The Federal High Court ultimately found the prosecution had established the ingredients of the offence beyond reasonable doubt.
The appellate ruling represents the latest development in a case that has attracted sustained attention to sexual harassment, abuse of institutional authority and accountability within Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.