JUST IN: Abuja Court Grants Suspended UNICAL Professor Bail

Abuja Court Grants Suspended UNICAL Professor Bail

 

In a recent development at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), was granted temporary bail.

 

The bail, ordered by Justice James Omotosho, was facilitated to allow Prof. Ndifon to undergo glaucoma surgery.

 

The decision came after an application by Ndifon’s counsel, Okon Efut, SAN, which received no opposition from Osuobeni Akponimisingha, lawyer to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

 

Justice Omotosho, considering Ndifon’s oral bail plea, granted bail at N250 million with a surety required to swear an affidavit of means and deposit their travel passport with the court registry.

 

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This bail is effective from Jan. 10 to Jan. 25, aligning with the scheduled date for the bail application hearing submitted by Ndifon’s lawyer.

 

The court session also addressed issues concerning the trial continuation and the bail application. Efut had previously informed the court about Ndifon’s impending eye surgery and passionately appealed for bail to facilitate the operation, although initially, the court held the bail application as premature.

 

Consequently, Ndifon was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre until the court reconvened. Amidst these proceedings, ICPC’s lawyer raised concerns about alleged threats made by one of the defense lawyers, Mr. Sunny Anyanwu, towards their star witness in a phone conversation related to the case.

 

Upon the court’s resumed hearing, Efut presented a further affidavit countering ICPC’s opposition to their bail application. Anyanwu’s absence raised questions in court, with concerns about his non-appearance and the filings regarding the case.

 

Efut assured the court of filing the necessary documents, expressing readiness for Ndifon’s release to facilitate the impending surgery. Justice Omotosho, acknowledging the urgency, agreed to release Ndifon to Efut with certain conditions and emphasized the need for an accelerated hearing. The judge also directed ICPC to bring their witnesses for the upcoming court date.