BREAKING: Court of Appeal Overturns Life Sentence of Lagos Doctor Olaleye in Sexual Assault Case
- Dr. Olufemi Olaleye, Medical Director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, has been discharged and acquitted by a Lagos court
- The Court of Appeal, in a judgment delivered on Friday, upheld Dr. Olaleye’s appeal and acquitted him of the charges of defilement and sexual assault by penetration of a minor
- Dr. Olaleye was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a lower court on a two-count charge, however, he appealed the decision, challenging his conviction and sentence
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
The Appeal Court, Lagos Division, on Friday nullified the conviction of Dr. Olufemi Olaleye, the Medical Director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, who had been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for raping his wife’s niece.
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The court discharged and acquitted Olaleye after finding the judgement of the trial court to be faulty.
The appellate court held that “the prosecution’s case was bereft of any credible evidence that she was a child. Credible and reasonable doubt was created in the prosecution’s case.”
“It is on record that the trial court concluded on the age of the victim based on the evidence of witnesses, even though none gave evidence of experiencing PW2’s birth,” the court added.
Delivering the judgement on Friday, the lead judge of the three-judge panel, Justice Olukayode Bada, stated that the trial court had erred in convicting Olaleye based on the “tainted” and “unreliable” evidence of his estranged wife, Oluremi, and the alleged survivor (names withheld).
Court acquits Dr. Olaleye of sexual assault
As reported by The Punch, the court found that there were material contradictions in the evidence presented by the prosecution, which should not have been relied upon by the lower court.
How Dr. Olaleye bagged life sentence
It would be recalled that the court had in October 2023, reserved judgment in the appeal filed by Dr. Olaleye.
Earlier, Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sentenced Dr. Olufemi Olaleye to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting his wife’s 16-year-old niece.
In his ruling, Justice Oshodi stated that the prosecution, represented by the Lagos State Government, had successfully proven the charges against the defendant, supported by compelling evidence.
However, dissatisfied with the verdict, Olaleye, through his lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), filed an appeal on November 24, 2023, seeking to overturn Justice Oshodi’s judgement.
Relatively, the Lagos state government commenced the trial of Dr. Olufemi Olaleye and his wife, Mrs. Aderemi Fagbemi Olaleye, testified against her husband, detailing the alleged abuse and subsequent police involvement.
The trial continues with further testimonies and cross-examinations scheduled for December 21.
UNN suspends lecturer harassing student
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the management of the University of Nigeria Nsukka announced the suspension of a lecturer caught engaging in sexual activity with a student.
The school stated that his employment would be on hold pending the conclusion of a disciplinary panel set by the university.
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Source: Legit.ng
