Ayuba Sanusi
THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has closed its case in the ongoing trial of Professor Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar and his lawyer, Barrister Sunny Anyanwu.
The duo are being tried before Justice James Omotosho at a Federal High Court, Abuja over alleged sexual misconduct and an attempt to pervert the course of justice contrary to sections 8, 18 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and Section 182 of the Penal Code Cap. 532 Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, 2006.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday (yesterday), counsel to the ICPC, Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, informed the court of its desire to close the case of the prosecution after the 4th witness (PW4) was discharged from the box following the conclusion of his cross-examination by the counsel to the defendants, Mr. Joe Agi (SAN).
Mr. Agi had argued that prima facie evidence had not been established against his clients hence he would be filing a no-case submission.
Counsel to the ICPC, Dr. Akponimisinga did not oppose the application.
The presiding judge, J.K Omotosho thereafter adjourned the trial to 27th of February, 2024 for the argument of no-case submission.
So far, ICPC has presented four witnesses in the trial against the university lecturer and his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu who was joined in the suit following an allegation that he threatened one of the star witnesses ICPC had lined up for the trial.
In her testimony on 25th of January, 2024, the first prosecution witness, an investigator with the ICPC had told the court how the first defendant (Professor Ndifon) was arrested following a petition of sexual harassment, official corruption and abuse of office was submitted against him.
She also told the court that some nude pictures and videos of certain contacts (who were students of the first defendant) were found in his phone when his WhatsApp messaging application was subjected to forensic examination.
The second prosecution witness, simply identified as TKJ (not real name), had in the course of the trial told the court that the first defendant had demanded oral sex and her virginity in exchange for admission into the law degree programme of the university.
She also narrated how the second defendant (Sunny Anyanwu) purportedly called her on the phone urging her to shun the ICPC invitation.
The 3rd and 4th prosecution witnesses, an exhibit keeper and a forensic analyst from the ICPC also testified in court by presenting forensic exhibits obtained from the phones of the two defendants.
Eighteen-Eleven Media