An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday sentenced the Medical Director of Optical Cancer Care Foundation, Dr Olufemi Olaleye, to double life imprisonment for defiling his wife’s 16-year-old niece.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the prosecution proved the two-count charge of defilement and sexual assault by penetration brought against Olaleye.
Alabingo.com had reported that Olaleye was prosecuted on a two-count charge of defilement and sexual penetration against a minor.
The defendant had pleaded not guilty at his trial.
However, Justice Oshodi said that the evidence adduced before the court against the defendant was compelling and proved the offences beyond reasonable doubt.
According him, the confessional statement of the defendant, made before his lawyer, Mr Olalekan Buruji, and the DPO of Anthony Police Station, in which he stated that he regretted his act, proved that he committed the offences.
The judge said that the oral statement which the defendant denied, had the Buruji’s NBA seal on it and his denial did not hold waters.
“You are dangerous offender and you must be ashamed,” the judge said, referring to the convict.
Oshodi dismissed the claim of the defendant that the survivor was tutored and tortured to say she was raped, 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 sexual intercourse with two adults in their residence.
“The sexual abuse came with a threat. The defendant had groomed the prosecutory (referring to the survivor) with pornography,” the judge said.
“The prosecutory did not consent and did not willingly suck his penis.
“I’m satisfied with prosecutory’s evidence that the defendant had sex with her and inserted his penis 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 sex with her, blood gushed out of her vagina. Her evidence greatly implicate the defendant.”
On the argument of financial motivation, the judge said the issues raised by the defendant that his wife was motivated by financial gains was to “deflate” the evidence of sexual abuse.
The defense counsel had claimed that the survivor was tutored by the defendant’s wife to lie against the defendant as part of the scheme to take over his properties.
“The defendant said his wife was motivated by financial gains, including taking the family home in Maryland, Lagos, Mercedes Benz, money in their joint account and custody of their two children,” the judge said.
“Let me immediately say that these issues will not deflate the evidence of the prosecution on the issues before the court.
“The issue is this — did the defendant have sexual intercourse with the prosecutory and force her to suck his penis? The answer is yes.”
Oshodi held that the court cannot believe the testimony of the defendant, adding that the defendant lied to the court.
The judge, therefore, 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 sexual intercourse with her by putting his penis in her vagina, the defendant also forced his penis 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 sex offenders register.
“Femi Olaleye, I have convicted you of defilement and sexual 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.
Olaleye was arraigned by the Lagos state in November 2022government 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 pornography and oral sex.
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