ABUJA — The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the adoption of final written addresses in the ongoing case between suspended Dean of Law, University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The proceedings, scheduled for Wednesday before Justice James Omotosho, were stalled due to the failure of Ndifon’s lawyer, Oladimeji Ekengba, to file and serve the ICPC with his final written address.
At the resumed sitting, ICPC counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, informed the court that the defence was yet to serve him the necessary documents since the last adjournment, thereby hindering the commission’s ability to respond.
“I want my lord’s guidance this morning because I expected the defendant to have served me, but they have not, even up to this morning,” Akponimisingha said.
Ekengba, who apologized for the delay, explained that his ill health was responsible for the setback and requested an adjournment to file and serve the required documents. The ICPC did not oppose the application.
Consequently, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter until October 13 for the adoption of final written addresses.
Ndifon, who was suspended as Dean of the Faculty of Law at UNICAL, is standing trial alongside one of his former lawyers, Sunny Anyanwu, on a four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment, cybercrime, and obstruction of justice.
The ICPC alleges that Ndifon, while in office, requested pornographic images from a female diploma student via WhatsApp. Anyanwu is accused of threatening the same student, a key witness, during the pendency of the case.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Earlier, Justice Omotosho had dismissed a no-case submission filed by the defence, ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case, thereby requiring the defendants to open their defence.
Ndifon subsequently testified in his own defence and called CSP Babagana Mingali, a forensic analyst from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), as his second witness.
The ICPC closed its case on February 14 after presenting four witnesses, including a forensic and intelligence analyst.
The case resumes on October 13.
