Eteteonline Team

A prominent Lagos medical practitioner, and Chief Executive Officer of the Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, an organization that gives free breast and cervical cancer scan, Dr Olufemi Olaleye, was convicted of rape, defilement and sexual assault and given a prison term of life behind bars.

Dr Olaleye was indicted in November 2022 on two counts of rape. The offence was said to have been committed between December 2019 and July 2022 when the victim cohabited with the family.

The arraignment was predicated on a report by the accused’s wife, Mrs. Aderemi Olaleye, to the police in Lagos about the sexual escapade of her husband. According to her, Dr Olaleye has been having illicit intercourse with the girl, who was 15 years old, for 19 months before it was discovered. The victim who had turned 18 at the time of the trial allegedly reported the regular sexual assault by the doctor to her aunt and the family driver. In addition, Dr Olaleye was reported to have forced the girl watch pornographic materials. He also issued a death threat to her if she reported the affair to anyone.

On learning of the incident, Dr Olaleye’s wife approached the police with the report. After police investigation, Olaleye was arraigned on November 30, 2022 before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge. 

Led by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions at the trial, the victim, Mrs. Olaleye, a medical doctor, a child-care specialist, and two police investigators testified against the accused. Dr Olaleye testified in his defence, and also called a forensic physician. His team of lawyers said the allegation against him was fabricated and the girl was lectured on what to say by the accused’s wife as part a grand plan to annex his property.

The court rejected the lawyers’ arguments. In his judgment, Justice Oshodi described the accused as a “dangerous” delinquent who demonstrated any form of regret for his action. According to the judge, Olaleye had confessed to the police that he perpetrated the acts:

You acknowledged that you are a sex addict in your confession but came to this court and told lies.

You showed no remorse, and it shows that you are a dangerous man.

The survivor, to your knowledge, is a child but you forced her to watch pornography, rub her breasts and put
your penis in her mouth.

You penetrated her repeatedly.

The crimes violate Sections 137 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. In the judgment, the accused was found guilty. The Judge said:

I therefore, find the defendant guilty as charged. 

This charge has a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.

I hereby sentence you to life imprisonment on both counts one and two.

The counsel to Olaleye pleaded for leniency considering his services as a cancer doctor and as he was a first-time offender. But the plea was rejected by the Judge, who also directed his name to be included in the Lagos State sex offenders register.

There are lessons to be drawn from the prosecution, conviction and sentencing of Dr Olaleye. First, Nigeria’s justice system disapproves of rape and other forms of sexual assault. According to Justice Oshodi, perpetrators must be incarcerated for a long period.

Second, victims of rape should not be cowed, blamed, stigmatized and ostracized by the society. This will encourage them to come forward and report such cases. Many survivors prefer to suffer in silence and are traumatized by their experiences. The courage of Olaleye’s victim to expose him, irrespective of the threat to life, and his wife’s courage to make a   report to the police, not minding the consequences on the marriage, should be commended.

Third, the status of perpetrators does not matter. Dr Olaleye is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of a big organization, a socialite and prominent member of the society. These credentials did not help him, as the law demonstrated that it did not respect the so-called high-profile persons, and that justice will be dispensed without fear or favour.

EteteOnline Team

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