The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has affirmed the two-year prison sentence imposed on Professor Cyril Osim Ndifon, a former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, over an offence involving the solicitation of pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs from a female student.
The judgment, delivered in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CR/1798/2025, upheld Ndifon’s conviction on one count under Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
The case arose from electronic communications between Ndifon and a female student while he was serving as Dean of the Faculty of Law.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, had found the prosecution’s evidence sufficient to establish the offence beyond reasonable doubt. Ndifon was convicted on November 17, 2025.
He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on Count One and five years on Count Two, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently and without an option of a fine.
Court Rules on Two Counts
Ndifon appealed the decision, challenging his conviction and sentence.
In its judgment, the Court of Appeal affirmed the conviction and two-year sentence on Count One.
However, the appellate court reached a different conclusion regarding Count Two, which concerned an alleged offence under Section 19 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission Act.
The court held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to determine that count and directed that the matter be prosecuted before the High Court of Cross River State.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission said it was taking steps to challenge the decision concerning Count Two.
The commission stressed that the ruling on Count Two did not affect the Court of Appeal’s affirmation of Ndifon’s conviction on Count One.
The latest judgment therefore leaves the two-year sentence on Count One affirmed, while the legal proceedings relating to the second count are to continue before the appropriate court.
