DeKALB – Northern Illinois University officials called police sergeants' statements publicly defending their lieutenant inappropriate just hours before an expected circuit court ruling on police mishandling of two witness statements in a rape case.

Judge Robbin Stuckert ruled last week that NIU police intentionally withheld witness statements favorable to Andrew Rifkin, a former NIU police officer accused of raping a college student off campus. Rifkin’s attorney asked Stuckert to dismiss the sexual assault charge against the 24-year-old Northbrook man, who was fired Oct. 28, 2011, the same day the victim reported the incident to NIU police.

Lt. Kartik Ramakrishnan has said he mistakenly placed two witness statements in Rifkin’s personnel file, rather than giving them to prosecutors. Those witness statements show the victim told other NIU students that she had an ongoing consensual sexual relationship with Rifkin.