- Challenges ICPC lawyer’s credentials
The suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Prof Cyril Ndifon, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to quash a four-count charge of sexual harassment and gratification preferred against him.
He is contending that the process filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences was incompetent having been signed by one Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, a person whose name is not on the roll of legal practitioners certified to practice in Nigeria as required by Section 2 of the Legal Practitioners Act.
Prof Ndifon also requested the court to strike out all the appearances of Joshua E. Alobo from the prosecution counsel for appearing as a private legal practitioner in the criminal case without the fiat of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation.
Besides, he also wanted the court to issue an order referring both Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha and Joshua E. Alobo to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for answering and caused to be printed on their processes the title ‘Dr.’ ‘Professor’ when they do not have the academic qualifications to show for the titles thereby misrepresenting themselves to the public and bringing legal profession to ridicule and shame.”
The professor is currently standing trial on amended four counts of alleged sexual harassment and gratification.
Also joined in the matter is his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu, who was alleged to have harassed ICPC’s star witness, urging her to shun the ICPC’s invitation.
Dr. Osuobeni Akponimisingha has been appearing in court for the ICPC alongside Joshua Alobo.
In a motion on notice filed on behalf of the suspended Dean by their lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN), they urged the court to acquit them of the sexual harassment and cybercrime charges filed against them by the ICPC.
The motion on notice partly reads: “The amended charge in this case is incompetent and preferred by a person whose name is not on the roll of legal practitioners in Nigeria under Section 2 of the Legal Practitioners Act and thus robbing this court of its jurisdiction.
“The amended charge was preferred by one Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, a person whose name is not on the roll of legal practitioners in Nigeria under Section 2 of the Legal Practitioners Act.
“We hereby seek an order of court striking out the amended charge, in this case, same being incompetent and preferred by a person whose name is not on the roll of legal practitioners in Nigeria under Section 2 of the Legal Practitioners Act and thus robbing this court of its jurisdiction.
“An order of court striking out all the appearance of Joshua E. Alobo from the prosecution counsel for appearing as a private legal practitioner in a criminal case without the fiat of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation.
“An order of court referring both Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha and Joshua E. Alobo to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for answering and caused to be printed on their processes the title ‘Dr.’ ‘Professor’ when they do not have the academic qualifications to show for the titles thereby misrepresenting themselves to the public and bringing legal profession to ridicule and shame.”
