In a landmark decision, the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has handed down a life imprisonment sentence to Dr. Olufemi Olaleye, the Managing Director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation. Dr. Olaleye was found guilty of sexually assaulting his wife’s niece when she was 15/16 years old.

The judgment delivered by Justice Rahman Oshodi emphasized that the prosecution, represented by the Lagos State Government, had presented compelling evidence against the defendant. Dr. Olaleye was charged with two counts of defilement and sexual assault by penetration of the minor, which occurred between December 2019 and July 2022 when she resided with their family.

The prosecution, led by Dr. Babajide Martins, the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, detailed how Dr. Olaleye sexually assaulted the minor for approximately 19 months until the wife discovered the abuse and reported it to the police. The survivor is now 18 years old.

Dr. Olaleye had pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment and the trial ensued. The prosecution called six witnesses, including the minor, the defendant’s wife, a medical doctor, a child care expert, and two police officers involved in the investigation. The defendant also testified in his defense, along with a long-time friend and a forensic physician who contested the medical evidence presented by the prosecution.

Justice Oshodi evaluated all the evidence and found it to be compelling. He highlighted that Dr. Olaleye had made a confessional statement expressing regret for his actions to his former counsel and the Divisional Police Officer at the Anthony Police Station. The judge rejected the defendant’s denial of the statement during the trial.

Justice Oshodi described Dr. Olaleye as a dangerous offender who displayed no remorse during the proceedings. He noted that Dr. Olaleye’s actions, which included forcing the survivor to watch pornography, fondle her breasts, and engage in sexual acts, were reprehensible.

In response to a plea for leniency from the defendant’s counsel, Adebisi Oridate, the judge stated that he was obligated by Lagos State law to impose a life imprisonment sentence on both counts of the offense. The judge also ordered that Dr. Olaleye’s name be entered into the Sexual Offences Register of the Lagos State Government.

Throughout the trial, Dr. Olaleye’s wife, Aderemi Olaleye, testified that her husband had been sexually abusing her niece during her stay in their home. The survivor had confessed to her aunt and the family’s driver about the abuse and threats made by Dr. Olaleye.

The offenses committed by Dr. Olaleye contravened Sections 137 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.