*Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw lauds judgement
Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja on Tuesday convicted the founder of Optimal Cancer Foundation, Dr Femi Olaleye, after he found him guilty of defiling his wife’s 16-year-old niece.
The judge held that the prosecution proved the two counts charge of defilement and sexual assault by penetration against Olaleye.
He stated that the evidence that was presented before the court, against the convict, was compelling and proven beyond reasonable doubt.
In his judgment, Oshodi held that Olaleye’s confessional statement which he made before his former counsel, Mr. Olalekan Buruji, and the Divisional Police Officer of Anthony Police Station, Patricia Amadi, when he stated that he regretted his action, proved that he committed the offences.
The judge also held that Olaleye denying an undertaking made at the police station did not hold water, as the document that he signed had his counsel, Buruji’s NBA seal, on it.
“The convict is a dangerous offender who should be ashamed of himself as he did not show any sign of remorse.
“The convict began to groom the survivor during the COVID-19 lockdown. The survivor, to your knowledge, was a child but you forced her to watch pornography, rub her breast, and put your penis in her mouth and ejaculated in her mouth.
“You penetrated her and there was blood in which you did it repeatedly. 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 to society, who should be locked away from the people,” the judge said.
Justice Oshodi thereafter found him guilty as charged and sentenced him to life imprisonment each on the two counts which he said would run concurrently.
Before the judge handed down the verdict, the convict’s counsel, Mr. Adebisi Oridate, in his plea for mercy pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.
He said, “The convict was a first-time offender who offered public service and had cancer patients to care for.
“He is a medical doctor who offers services to people who suffer from cancer-related ailments, especially women from Lagos State and Nigeria.
“The state recognised his services and the convict has lost his business because he has been incarcerated and he has lost his family. He has lost his means of livelihood and he has an aged mother who is solely dependent on him but we pray your Lordship to temper justice with mercy.”
In his response, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martins, prayed the court to sentence him on a mandatory sentencing as maintained by the law of Lagos State.
Martins said, “We urge the court to give the convict a mandatory sentence and also have his name registered in the sexual offences register as maintained by Lagos State.”
He said the prosecution had proved that he sexually assaulted the survivor by penetrating her vagina, releasing sperm into her mouth with his penis for about 19 months until the wife discovered and reported it to the police.
During the trial, 10 witnesses were called who testified against the defendant while the defence called three witnesses.
While pronouncing the sentence, the judge held that, “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 defence counsel has said that you are a first-time offender and that you are a doctor of cancer patients who is in partnership with Lagos State.
“I hereby sentence you to life imprisonment on both counts one and two of defilement and sexual assault by penetration, which should run concurrently.
“The convict’s name should be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register as maintained by Lagos State Government,” the judge held.
Meanwhile, popular Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw, who was an advocate under Olaleye’s cancer foundation, while reacting to the judgment said it was a joyous day.
Henshaw who was also amongst the first voices that came out against Olaleye when he was accused of raping his wife’s niece, said the judgment day was a day that she would forever remember.
“It is a day that I will forever remember, it is a day that has been enforced in me that when you find a righteous judge when you find that you are in a system that is functional irrespective of bribery and corruption, because even before this judgment was delivered, he was still trying to bribe the girl, he picked her up sent her mother and herself money trying to divert and pervert the cause of justice, it didn’t work.
“They refunded the money he paid to them to him. Thank you, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence. I have always given them kudos. If that’s the only thing that Lagos does, I will stand with them. Thank you to Mirabel Centre, and all the organisations that helped,” she said.
