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From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Vice Chancellor of the university of Calabar, Professor Florence Obi, has stated that the management followed due process in setting up a fact-finding panel to investigate the alleged case of sexual assault leveled against the dean of law faculty, Prof. Cyril Ndifon.
Speaking at a media parley at her office on Tuesday in Calabar, Prof. Obi, insisted that by setting up a fact finding panel, the management of the institution was giving Professor Ndifon an opportunity to defend himself.
She said: “We have followed all laid down processes as stipulated by the laws of the university of Calabar in this matter.
“We set up an investigative panel which is for fact finding , it is not a disciplinary panel that should try staff and there are different procedures in the trial of a staff. The best you can do for a staff is to set up an investigative panel which is what we have done.
“If we believed so much what the students alleged, we would have sent him to a disciplinary panel. We taught we were giving our colleague an opportunity to come before the panel and say his own story and the Deputy Vice Chancellor chairs the disciplinary panel.
“From the fact finding panel, we will get to the disciplinary panel so these are procedural processes. we have not violated any due process and will not violated any”, adding that there is no injunction from the court against the activities of the panel and so the panel is still sitting.
On a viral audio purported to emanate from Uju Kennedy, the Minister of Women Affairs, Professor Obi said: “We do not consider it expedient to respond to the disturbing things said by the minister in the audio. Students of the law faculty wrote and submitted a petition and protested against the suspended Dean and those who testifies before the panel were not promoted by anyone.
“The management of the institution is resolved to remain focused on doing the right thing and carrying out an objective and comprehensive investigation.”
Recall that on August 14, 2023, faculty of law students staged a protest in front of the V.C’s office accusing the former dean of sexual harassment, extortion and high handedness among others.
