ICPC Rejects Release of Ndifon, Lawyer’s Phones To ‘Unknown’ Forensic Lab

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has objected a motion seeking the release of Professor Cyril Ndifon and Barrister Sunny Anyanwu’s telephones to a purported National Computer Forensic Laboratory.

The objection of the anti-graft agency to the request was disclosed in a statement signed by the ICPC’s spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua.

Ndifon, a suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, and Barrister Anyanwu are both standing trial before Justice James Omotosho on charges of alleged sexual misconduct and attempts to pervert justice, in violation of various sections of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and the Penal Code of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, 2006.

During the latest hearing, the defense counsel, Mr. Joe Agi, SAN presented two motions filed on March 8, 2024.

The first motion sought leave of court to appeal the ruling on the no-case submission, while the second motion requested the release of exhibits N and O (the defendants’ phones) to the applicants.

However, ICPC’s counsel, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, contested the second motion.

Dr. Akponimisingha argued that the alleged laboratory lacked existence and a known address, stating, “as at now Sir, the National Computer Forensic Laboratory has not been established. If they have the address, let them provide it. To the best of my knowledge, there’s no such laboratory anywhere.”

Consequently, Dr. Akponimisingha requested an adjournment to enable the prosecution to respond adequately to the motion seeking the court’s permission to release the defendants’ phones to the purported National Computer Forensic Laboratory.

Responding to the request, Justice J.K Omotosho adjourned the trial till March 19, 2024, to further deliberate on the pending motion on notice.