Court of appeal acquits Dr. Olufemi Olaleye of life imprisonment sentence
The Court of Appeal in Lagos has acquitted Dr. Olufemi Olaleye, Medical Director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, overturning his life sentence for allegedly defiling his wife’s 16-year-old niece. The appellate court ruled that the evidence used to convict Dr. Olaleye in the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court was inconsistent and unreliable.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Olukayode Bada, supported by Justices Mohammed Ibrahim Sirajo and Folasade Ayodeji Ojo, stated that the trial court erred by relying on “tainted” testimony from the alleged survivor and Dr. Olaleye’s estranged wife, Oluremi. The court further criticized significant gaps in the prosecution’s evidence.
The appellate court highlighted material contradictions in the testimonies of key witnesses, including a child forensic expert, a medical doctor from the Mirabel Centre, and the investigating officer. It deemed these contributions “worthless” and questioned why the prosecution failed to present critical witnesses, such as family members who allegedly heard Dr. Olaleye’s confession.
Additionally, the court faulted the trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, for interfering in the proceedings, describing his actions as an improper attempt to compensate for the prosecution’s weak case. The appellate court also criticized the lack of a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of Dr. Olaleye’s confession, which he claimed was made under duress after six days in police detention.
In its ruling, the Court of Appeal resolved all five issues of appeal in favor of Dr. Olaleye, ultimately acquitting and discharging him.
