On Wednesday, representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) stormed the Federal High Court in Abuja for the trial of Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).
While Linda Bala led the NBA delegation into the courtroom presided over by Justice James Omotosho, Amina Agbaje, FIDA’s Country Vice President, led a team of other lawyers to watch briefs for their respective associations.
According to Platinum Times, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, or ICPC, is prosecuting Ndifon and Sunny Anyanwu (1st and 2nd defendants) on sexual harassment and obstruction of investigation charges.
Anyanwu, one of the defense lawyers, was named in the ICPC’s amended charge filed on January 22 on the accusation that he threatened one of the prosecution witnesses over the phone while the charge against Ndifon was pending.
On Thursday, Justice Omotosho ordered that the two defendants be held in the Kuje Correctional Centre awaiting the hearing of their bail applications.
During the resumed hearing, Wilberforce Otuagona, SAN, declared an appearance for Prof. Ndifon and Anyanwu, despite Solomon Umoh, SAN, their counsel on the previous adjourned date, was also in court.
Otuagona urged the court to hear his clients’ bail application before continuing the trial.
However, the judge informed him that the order was to hold the trial before the bail application.
He stated that this was to safeguard the witness, who was alleged to have been phoned on the phone by Anyanwu.
Justice Omotosho stated that he overruled himself on the previous postponed date to take the bail plea first after Umoh, who appeared for the defence, argued with the court against the earlier court ruling.
He stated that he worked as a prosecutor for 18 years before to joining the bench.