Suspended UNICAL dean’s lawyer asked me to shun ICPC

An Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission’s witness on Wednesday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that Sunny Anyanwu, lawyer of the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, Prof Cyril Ndifon, called her on the phone, urging her to shun the commission’s invitation.

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

The witness identified as TKJ (name withheld based on the order of the court to protect the witness) had on Tuesday said the professor demanded oral sex and her virginity in exchange for admission into the LLB programme.

At the resumed trial on Wednesday,  TKJ,  a law diploma graduate, said Anyanwu blamed  Ndifon for all that happened, and pleaded with her not to take any call from the ICPC.

TKJ said in return,  the lawyer promised her admission to another institution.

She said, “Barrister Sunny called me on the phone and I asked him why he called, he said he called because of Prof Ndifon. He also said he blamed his friend for everything that had happened. He said they have been friends for long.

“He said if am invited by the ICPC, I should not go and if I am given a paper to sign or write, I should not.

“He said if I should get a call from the ICPC, I should ignore the call.

“He said if I do what he asks me to do he will give me a better admission outside UNICAL.”

TKJ added that she had never met the second defendant before or after he called.

While being cross-examined, the defence counsel, Joe Agi (SAN), requested to know why the allegation of demanding oral sex and virginity was not in the two statements she made at the ICPC.

TKJ responded crying, “I wouldn’t travel from my place to come here and tell lies.

“I did not also tell the ICPC in my statement that the N3,000 was for treatment. I just did a summary of what happened to ICPC.  I was also ashamed about it. ”

Agi then asked if she sent her nude pictures to the suspended dean for admission, she said yes and added, ” I obeyed him because of my safety after his sexual harassment.”

After her testimony, the court discharged her from the witness box.

The prosecution counsel then told the judge he had about seven more witnesses to present and may even amend the charges against the professor to bring in more victims.

The defence counsel, Solomon Umoh, then urged the court to grant his client bail in line with his application based on medical grounds.

But the prosecution counsel countered the bail application, asking the court to dismiss it.

Subsequently, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter till February 9,12, and 14  for a ruling on bail and continuation of the hearing.