The key witness of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recounted how she faced pressure from the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof. Cyril Ndifon, to exchange her virginity for admission.
Identified only as TKJ (pseudonym), the witness testified before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, February 6. She disclosed that Cyril Ndifon had allegedly promised to facilitate her admission into the LLB program in return for her virginity. Currently, the professor and his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu, are undergoing trial on amended four counts of alleged sexual harassment and an attempt to pervert the course of justice.
Under questioning by the prosecution counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, TKJ, who is the second witness in the case, revealed that the professor had boasted of securing admission for approximately 50 students.
TKJ, a graduate with a law diploma, stated, “After my classes that day, I visited his office. Upon arrival, I found several visitors waiting for him. He requested that I wait, and after some time, he dismissed his visitors and instructed me to lock the door. Following his directive, I locked the door. He then stood up and asked me to embrace him. Feeling uncomfortable, I hesitated, and he questioned my apprehension. Assuring me not to fear, he insisted I view him as a father figure and requested the embrace once more. I reluctantly offered 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.”
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 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.
