Justice James Omotosho granted Ndifon bail for two weeks to allow him to attend to his health as he reportedly has to undergo surgery.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).
Justice James Omotosho granted Ndifon bail for two weeks to allow him to attend to his health as he reportedly has to undergo surgery.
The bail was granted in the sum of N250 million on the recognisance of his counsel Okon Efut (SAN) from January 10 to 25.
The judge ordered the don to leave his travel documents with the court and adjourned the hearing on the matter to January 26, a day after the bail would lapse.
Justice Omotosho had remanded Ndifon at the Kuje Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the conclusion of his bail application.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday, arraigned Ndifon in court on four counts of alleged sexual misconduct against some of his students.
The commission's spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka C. Ogugua, in a statement said, "The Professor of Law however pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him."
SaharaReporters reported on Tuesday that his counsel, Efut had prayed that the defendant should be granted bail as the application for that had been filed on his behalf on January 2, 2024.
However, counsel for the ICPC, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha opposed the bail application on the ground that one of the lawyers representing the defendant, Barrister Sunny Anyanwu had allegedly threatened one of the star witnesses ICPC lined up for the trial.
In his defence, Barrister Anyanwu, who had earlier argued that the name of the said witness was not listed in the charges read, later told the court that it was the “witness” that called him.
Justice Omotosho however directed Barrister Anyanwu to file his affidavit of fact within 48 hours over the allegation of threat against the ICPC witness levelled against him.
He also ruled that the defendant, Ndifon, should be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre till on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, to conclude with the hearing on his bail application.