Femi Olaleye, managing director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for r@ping his wife’s niece.
Rahman Oshodi, the judge at the special offences and domestic violence court in Lagos, on Tuesday, convicted Olaleye on a two-count charge of defilement of a child and sexual assault by penetration.
The judge ruled that the defendant should serve life imprisonment for count one and the same for count two.
The judge said the sentencing should run concurrently.
In November 2022, Olaleye was arraigned by the Lagos state government on a two-count charge of defilement of a child and sexual assault by penetration.
The medical doctor, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.
The cancer care advocate was accused of sexually violating a minor, who was said to be a niece of his wife, for over 20 months.
During the trial, Aderemi, the estranged wife of Olaleye, had told the court that his husband introduced the underage victim to p0rnography and oral s€x.
In his ruling, the judge said he believes the testimony of the survivor that Olaleye r@ped her and forcefully inserted his p€nis into her mouth.
Oshodi dismissed the claim of the defendant that the survivor was tutored and tortured to say she was r@ped, adding that the survivor was “consistent” in her testimony.
The judge also rejected the arguments of the defense team that the survivor was 18 years old when the incident happened and that the survivor had s€xual intercourse with two adults in their residence.
“The s€xual abuse came with a threat. The defendant had groomed the prosecutory (referring to the survivor) with p0rnography,” the judge said.
“I’m satisfied with prosecutory’s evidence that the defendant had s€€x with her and inserted his p€nis in her mouth and ejaculated.
“I believe the prosecutory that he forced her to suck his penis. I believe that the first time he had s€x with her, blood gushed out of her v@gina. Her evidence greatly implicate the defendant.”
The judge ruled that the prosecution was able to prove counts one and two beyond reasonable doubt.
“I, therefore, feel satisfied that the prosecutor has established that (a) the prosecutory was a child by section 261 of the Child Rights Law of Lagos state 2015, the defendant had s€xual intercourse with her by putting his penis in her v@gina, the defendant also forced his p€nis into her mouth and ejaculated,” the judge ruled.
“I must conclude that the prosecution has established count one and two against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt. I, therefore, find the defendant guilty as charged.”
The judge said Olaleye must be confined to prison for a long period of time to convey that the justice system frowns at sexual violence.
The judge added that the name of the defendant should be added to the Lagos state s€x offenders register.
“Femi Olaleye, I have convicted you of defilement and s€xual assault by penetration. This charge has a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment,” he ruled.
“Accordingly, I sentence you to life imprisonment on count one and two. On each count, the sentencing will run concurrently.”
