The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted N250 million in bail to Cyril Ndifon, the detained and suspended dean of the University of Calabar’s Faculty of Law.
He was released to his attorney, Okon Efut (SAN), by Judge James Omotosho upon his own recognizance in order to have eye surgery.
Ndifon was released by the judge to Efut, who informed the court that he was prepared to assume responsibility for bringing Ndifon into court for his trial.
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The defendant is facing charges of four counts of sexual harassment from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
After entering his plea on Monday, the court remanded him, and the hearing on the matter was postponed until Wednesday.
After entering his plea on Monday, the judge remanded him and postponed the matter until Wednesday to hear the bail application.
Ndifon is facing four charges brought by the ICPC. Ndifon is a public officer in charge of certifying students as suitable in learning and character as a requirement for the award of a Bachelor’s degree in Law and entrance into the Nigerian Law School.
According to the ICPC, Ndifon solicited female students for naked photos and films on October 30, 2023, using his office.
Additionally, it claimed that the defendant had demanded photos of a potential student as payment for admittance and had dishonestly altered a student’s project supervisor in exchange for better scores.
Ebenezer Shogunle, the ICPC’s attorney, filed the charge against Ndifon on October 30, 2023, with the file number being FHC/ABJ/CR/511/23.
He was granted N250 million in bail, along with one surety in the same amount, by Justice Omotosho at the application’s continued hearing on Wednesday.
He commanded the surety to present proof of funds and turn in his passport to the court registrar.
However, the judge also ruled that the bail would become perfect from January 10 to January 25, 2024, stating that the bail application was not ready for a hearing.
It was also mandated that Ndifon and his attorney provide their travel documentation to the court. The ICPC was also instructed by the judge to make sure that its witness appears in court.
As a result, Judge Omotosho postponed the case to January 26 in order to start the trial.
The defendant was accused of using his office and position to further his own gratification between June and September 2023 by allegedly requesting naked photos and videos from a female student enrolled in the university’s second year of diploma program through Whatsapp chats on his phone number, 08037066222.
Additionally, it was said that he had dishonestly asked for recordings and pictures of a 400-level female student in the Faculty of Law in naked, with the intention of taking over as her project supervisor in order to ensure that she would receive good grades.
It was stated that Ndifon had improperly asked to view the pictures of a 16-year-old female prospective post-UTME applicant in order to persuade the Faculty of Law to consider her for admission.
The ICPC accused him of inciting a female student to give him explicit, lewd, and pornographic photos of herself via WhatsApp between May and September 2023 at 08037066222.
The Cybercrime (Prohibition & Prevention) Act of the agency 2015, Sections 19, Act 2000, 8(1)(a)(il), 18(d), and 24 were all violated, according to the ICPC.