The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has closed its case against Cyril Ndifon, a professor in the University of Calabar (UNICAL), and his co-defendant, Sunny Anyanwu.
ICPC’s counsel Osuobeni Akponimisingha informed Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court, Abuja of the development on Wednesday.
Akponimisingha spoke after Bwaigu Fungo, the fourth prosecution witness, a forensic and intelligence analyst, was cross-examined by the defence lawyer, Joe Agi.
Earlier, Akponimisingha told the court that the anti-corruption commission had about seven witnesses and also planned to amend the charges to increase the witness number in proving their case against the defendants.
Ndifon was, on January 25, re-arraigned alongside Anyanwu as first and second defendants on an amended four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice.
Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on January 22 by the ICPC on allegation that he called one of the prosecution witnesses on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Ndifon and threatened her.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Last Friday, Justice Omotosho granted bail to Ndifon and Anyanwu in the sum of N250 million and N50 million respectively with two sureties each in the like sum.
As trial resumed on Wednesday, Fungo’s cross-examination continued.
When Agi asked the forensic analyst if he knew what Ndifon and TKJ, the female diploma student alleged to have been sexually harassed, discussed in the call log, he said he did not know.
When the lawyer asked the witness if he knew the first communication between Ndifon and TKJ, Fungo said from the analysis he carried out on the mobile phones, their first communication through the WhatsApp channel was on March 14, 2023 and the message was: “Good evening sir.”
The witness, who also said that he did not analyse TKJ’s phone in the course of the investigation, said he was not given TKJ’s phone by the ICPC to analyse.
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After Fungo’s testimony, Akponimisingha told the court that the prosecution was closing its case.
“This is the case for the prosecution and we have closed our case today,” he said.
Responding, counsel to the defendants, Agi, told the court that they planned to file a no-case submission.
He said he would need seven days to file the application.
The ICPC lawyer assured the court that immediately the defence served him with the no-case submission, he would also need about seven days to reply.
Justice Omotosho consequently adjourned the matter until February 27 to hear the defendants’ no-case submission.
Meanwhile, Ndifon and Anyanwu had not met their bail conditions as of press time.
