ALL EYES ON LAGOS APPELATE COURT OVER SEXUAL ABUSE APPEAL BY DR. OLALEYE
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There is palpable fear and anxiety as advocates and activists, who ensured that justice was done in sexual defilement and abuse by a Lagos State, based medical doctor, Femi Olaleye over the shoddy manner the Appeal Court judges have been handling the matter.
It will be recalled that Dr Olaleye was convicted on two count charges of defilement and sexual abuse, and was sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Rahman Oshodi on October 24, 2023.
Not long after the pronouncement, the defence team, led by Segun Fabunmi (SAN), promised to appeal the judgement which they eventually did.
62 grounds of appeal were presented to the Appeal Court on May 17, 2024 and it was signed by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN.
One of the grounds of appeal included the fact that the proof of evidence was not enough to have been relied upon to convict Dr Femi Olaleye, the appellant in the matter.
Another ground is the fact that the PW 2 was 18 years of age, when she was abused and that the judge actually took sides with the prosecution in the matter.
The respondents, led by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr Babajide Martins, stood their ground and insisted that the appellant deserved the judgment given and a 47-page responses was filed at the appeal court.
It was however gathered that since May, 2024, when the matter was filed at the appeal court, there was no communication to the defendants in the matter until late August 2024, when September 16 was communicated as the date of hearing and adoption of the addresses written by the counsels of both the appellant and the respondent.
However, the matter couldn’t be heard on the said date as it fell on a public holiday.
But it was also discovered that the court communicated with the counsels few hours to the hearing of the matter as it was fixed for September 23, while the court promised that a date for judgement will soon be communicated to the parties in the matter.
However, advocates have warned that with the hard stance of the Lagos State government on sexual and gender based violence, the judiciary should not compromise the process.
One of the advocates, who pleaded anonymity because it will be contemptuous said; “we have been watching the event in the court concerning the appeal of Dr Olaleye and we are concerned as partners that participated in his arrest and subsequent prosecution, which culminated in his conviction.
“We are worried about the shoddy manner the appeal is being handled and we are asking our appeal court judges not to compromise the process as the high court judge did a thorough job on the matter and the man deserves to be so punished for taking advantage of a minor under his care and guidance.
“It’s even laughable that in one of the grounds, his counsel alluded wrongly to the fact that the girl was of age as at the time she was abused, which invariably is an admittance of the fact that he perpetrated the act, but with an adult. This is enough evidence to uphold the conviction.
“We urge the Appeal Court in Lagos State to uphold justice and ensure that Dr. Femi Olaleye’s conviction for sexual defilement and assault is upheld.
“He was convicted on October 24, 2023, to double life imprisonment for his heinous crimes. As a serial sex offender, he poses a significant danger to the society, and it’s crucial that the judicial process is followed to the letter to ensure that he is held accountable for his actions.
“Compromising the case would send a wrong signal to members of the public and undermine the rule of law. We have faith that the Appeal Court will follow due process and deliver a just verdict.”
The Advocates posited that though they are not forcing their opinions on the highly respected judges, who they said earned their elevation through dint of hardwork and due diligence, they are just reminding them of the atrocities of the appellant, who they said is a serial rapist, whose nefarious activities drove him away from the United Kingdom some years back, saying that several tapes of his rape victims and recordings abound on the internet.
“We want to urge our indefatigable judges, including Justice Folashade Ayodeji Ojo, Justice Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero, Justice Jimi Olukayode Bada, Justice Paul Ahmed Basi and Justice Muhammed Ibrahim Sirajo, to ensure that justice is served on the matter to serve as a deterrent to his fellow abusers and manipulators of minors who are in their care,” they stated.
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