UNICAL suspended dean demanded virginity for admission

A witness called by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on Tuesday told the court that the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, Cyril Ndifon, promised to help her secure admission into the LLB programme in exchange for her virginity.

The witness, a law diploma graduate identified as TKJ (name withheld based on the order of court to protect the witness) said he assured her that if she gave him her virginity, she would secure admission into the main programme.

The professor and his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu, are currently standing trial on amended four counts of alleged sexual harassment and an attempt to perverse the cause of justice.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, TKJ who is the second witness on the matter, said the professor boasted of offering admission to about 50 students.

She said, “After my classes that day, I went to his office. When I got there he had many visitors waiting for him. He asked that I wait for him. After some hours, he dismissed his visitors and asked me to lock the door. I did as he instructed. He stood up from his seat and asked me to hug him. I moved back and he asked if I was scared. I nodded my head. He said I should not be scared and that I should see him as a father. He requested for the hug again. I gave him a side hug.

“He asked me if this was how I hug my boyfriend, I told him I don’t have a boyfriend. He asked if It was a man friend I had, and I told him I had none. He held my waist and told me I don’t have to bother about admission and that he brought a Diploma of Law into the faculty. He said he made about 50 students transition to the LLB programme.

“When he held my waist, I went back. He told me to stop doing that and asked why was I doing it like a baby. He asked if I was a baby, and I said yes. He said am I sure? He said that it was very good. He asked ‘Can I give him my virginity’? I shouted Jesus! He said I should give it to him and he told me he would give me admission. I told him I would think about it.

“He touched my chest which is my breast area. He said he never knew I was this big. While all these were going on, people would come and knock and go. I asked him why does he not want to open the door, and he asked me to forget it. When I asked him why he was the one that gave up to 50 persons admission, he told me he was the owner of the diploma and that I should not bother myself that I will get admission.”

TKJ also told the court that the first defendant asked her to visit him on a public holiday, and she had to lie that she was on her menstrual cycle to escape his advances.

She said at a point, the suspended dean began pressuring her for a nude video.

She said, “He asked that I make a nude video and send it to him. Before I could say anything, he ended the call. Later he called again and demanded the video. I told him that I was still a virgin and he ended the call.

“I sent him a message on WhatsApp that I’m still very tight. He told me he would give me admission that I should not worry I should send the video. After so many calls, I had to send the video to him. ”

TKJ also told the court that after the sexual harassment protests on campus, the suspended dean requested more nude pictures.

TKJ also told the court that while the university panel probe was on, he came to the front of her hostel in the car with a tainted glass.

She said she joined him in the car and was having a discussion when the suspended dean tried to put his hand inside her trousers.

TKJ recalled that her path crossed with the suspended dean during her first year in the diploma programme.

After her testimony, the prosecution counsel requested to submit the bank receipt for the N3 000 sent to the witness for treatment as exhibit.

Initially, the counsel for the first defendant, Joe Agi (SAN), objected to the application on the ground that the receipt was not being frontloaded with the proof of evidence.

However, he withdrew his objections when the prosecution counsel mentioned that the same receipt was included in exhibit H.

The trial judge, James Omotoso, admitted the receipt in evidence and adjourned the matter till February 7.