An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, on Tuesday, sentenced the Medical Director of Optimal 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 prosecution proved charges of defilement and sexual assault by penetration against Olaleye.
Oshodi said that evidence against the medical director was compelling.
According to the judge, Olaleye’s confessional statement before his former counsel, Mr Olalekan Buruji, and the Divisional Police Officer at the Anthony Police Station, Lagos State, proved that he committed the offences.
The judge held that Olaleye said in the statement that he regretted his act.
The judge held that Olaleye’s denial of the statement during trial did not `hold waters’.
Oshodi described the medical director as a dangerous offender who did not show any sign of remorse during trial.
“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,’’ Oshodi said.
The judge noted that Olaleye’s current counsel, Mr Adebisi Oridate, pleaded for the court’s leniency on the convict.
“By the laws of Lagos State, I am compelled to hand you a sentence of life imprisonment on each count of your offence, but your counsel has said that you are a first-time offender and a doctor of cancer patients.
“I hereby sentence you to life imprisonment on both counts one and two,” he said.
The judge directed that Olaleye should have his name written in the Sexual Offences Register of Lagos State Government.
Earlier, Oridate said: “He is a medical doctor who offers services to people suffering from cancer-related ailments, especially women.
“The state recognises his services and the defendant is a first-time offender.
“He has lost his business because he has been incarcerated, and, of course, his family.
“He has an aged mother who is dependent solely on him. We pray your lordship to temper justice with mercy.”
NAN reports that prosecution team led by Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, had submitted that Olaleye sexually assaulted his wife’s niece for about 19 months until the wife discovered and reported to the police.
The survivor was living with the Olaleye family when the medical director defiled her, according to the prosecution team which called six witnesses.
The offences contravene the provision of Sections 137 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)