A forensic analysis of the phone belonging to the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, Cyril Ndifon, revealed that he had several nude pictures from various contacts.
This was disclosed by Lucy Ogechi, an investigator from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Ndifon and his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu, are currently standing trial on four amended charges bordering on alleged sexual harassment and an attempt to perverse the cause of justice.
At the resumed trial on Wednesday, Ogechi, who was led in evidence by the prosecution’s counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, also claimed that a diploma student (name withheld by the court to protect the victim) at the university sent Ndifon pornographic photographs of herself via his mobile phone at various times.
Ogechi said, “We saw so many nude photos of so many contacts, including the contact of TKJ.
“TKJ was of particular interest because we observed that nude pictures were requested by the first defendant as currency for admission to TKJ for the diploma class transitioning to the LLB class.
“We sought to confront the first defendant with our findings, and he (Ndifon) refused to give his statement.
“We left him (Ndifon) and decided to go on a fact-finding mission to Calabar, where we interacted with a student with the aid of a lecturer who identified him for the team.”
Furthermore, she revealed that the second defendant, a lawyer, called the victim’s witness to shun the ICPC’s invitation.
Ogechi added, “The victim’s witness told us that she received a strange call from a lawyer and friend of the first defendant, who told her not to honour the invitation of the ICPC. We confronted him, and he denied it.
“He also made a statement denying calling the victim’s witness. A forensic report on the call and other information from the network provider showed the contrary. He actually called the victim’s witness.
“Being a suspect in the matter, we retrieved his phone from him. He signed a consent form for the retrieval of his phone.
“The forensic unit and response from the service provider revealed that the second defendant’s call to our witness, known as TKJ, was for 679 seconds. It also revealed that the TKJ’s number was forwarded by the first defendant (Ndifon) to the second defendant.”
Ogechi informed the court that while Ndifon and second defendants’ phones were at the commission, Ndifon asked his service providers for a SIM switch, stating his phone was lost.
She stated that the first defendant did this to interfere with the commission’s inquiry.
She said, “While their phones were in the custody of the commission, the first defendant, with a view to meddling with the investigation, approached his service providers for the retrieval of his number, claiming that it was lost when the phone was in the custody of the ICPC.”
Ogechi also informed the court that, while the sexual harassment claims had been resolved, the financial misappropriation case was still proceeding.
She said, “My Lord, we have an ongoing investigation ongoing against him on the financial impropriety allegation, while we have concluded that on sexual harassment.”
Documents used during her inquiry were presented by the prosecution counsel and allowed as evidence by the trial judge, Justice James Omotoso.
During cross-examination, the defendants’ counsel, Joe Agi (SAN), inquired whether the ICPC investigator conducted the forensic analysis herself.
Responding, Ogechi said, “I am not a forensic analyst. I didn’t carry out the analysis myself.”
He also inquired whether she had noticed the first defendant and TKJ in a relationship.
“The only relationship I observed was that of a student and lecturer.” Ogechi said.
At the conclusion of the trial, the defendant’s counsel attempted to seek his client’s bail.
Omotoso said, “I must take the statement of the victim witness first before considering bail for the defendants so that there won’t be interference.
“Even if I give, what if they are unable to meet the conditions? But left to me, I prefer an accelerated hearing in the matter so we can finish it in seven days.”
He then deferred the case until Thursday for the continuation of the trial.
