Crime
Rape: Court Sentences Doctor Olaleye To Life Imprisonment
The Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced the Medical Director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, Dr Olufemi Olaleye, to life imprisonment for defiling his wife’s niece when the minor was 15/16 years old.
In his judgment, Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the prosecution, the Lagos State Government, had proved the charge against the defendant and the evidence against him was compelling.
Dr Olaleye was arraigned on November 30, 2022, on a two-count charge of defilement and sexual assault by penetration of the minor between December 2019 and July 2022 when she came to live with their family.
The prosecution, led by Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, had told the court that Olaleye sexually assaulted his wife’s niece for about 19 months until the wife discovered and reported it to the police. The minor is said to be 18 years old now.
At his arraignment, the doctor pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.
The prosecution subsequently called six witnesses in proof of its case against him. The minor, the defendant’s wife, a medical doctor and another child care expert, both of whom examined the minor as well as two police officers involved in the investigations, testified in the trial.
The defendant also testified in his own defence alongside his friend of over 40 years as well as his forensic physician who faulted the medical evidence presented by the prosecution.
Having evaluated all the evidence before him, Justice Oshodi noted that it 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 also held that Olaleye’s denial of the statement during trial did not hold water.
Justice Oshodi described the medical director as a dangerous offender who did not show any sign of remorse during the 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 court found the defendant guilty of the offence.
In his plea for leniency, counsel to the convict, Adebisi 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.”
In sentencing, Justice Oshodi said, “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.”
The judge also directed that Olaleye should have his name written in the Sexual Offences Register of the Lagos State Government.
During the trial, the convict’s wife, Aderemi Olaleye, had told the court in her testimony that her husband had been sexually abusing her niece during her stay in their house.
Mrs Olaleye said she got to know about the alleged crimes after the survivor confessed to her aunt and the family’s driver that the doctor had been sleeping with her and threatening to kill her if she told anyone.
The mother of two, who is the complainant said on oath, “My lord, on November 27, 2021, my second cousin told my aunty who is my mother’s sister that since March 2020, Femi has been sexually abusing her and introduced her to pornography, from there he graduated to oral sex with her, that he does this in different places in the house where there are no cameras”.
The offences contravene the provision of Sections 137 and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Twelve suspected kidnappers and one informant have been arrested in a coordinated security operation carried out across parts of Kogi and Kwara States.
This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo through a press statement made available to newsmen.
He said the suspects were apprehended during a series of raids jointly executed by the Hybrid Force from the Office of the National Security Adviser and Officers and Men of the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Egbe.
The operations covered Isanlu-Esa and Okoloke in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, and Patigi, Lafiagi and Gbugbu in Kwara State.
The statement identified the suspected kidnappers as Mainasara Abubakar, Sadik Abubakar, Jude Sani, Sanda Abubakar, Lawali Usman, Tukur Shehu, Hassan Abubakar, Kabiru Surajo, Makiri Dodo, Bala Hassan, Umaru Sanda, and Ruwa Abubakar. Also arrested was Rabiu Makeri, who is believed to be an informant for the gang.
According to the statement, the security forces engaged the suspects in a fierce gun battle, during which some of the kidnappers fled, abandoning their motorcycles and kidnap victims. Several kidnapped women were successfully rescued during the confrontation.
“We want to thank the gallant officers from the Office of the National Security Adviser and our men at the FOB, Egbe for their courage and professionalism. We also commend the Kwara State Government for their cooperation, which has yielded this outstanding result,” the statement read.
“Peace has returned to Kogi West as the criminal route from Kwara into our communities has now been disrupted. There will be no hiding place for the criminals. One of the security agents who confronted the kidnappers was shot and he is currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Yagba West Local Government Area of the State. The Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo has offered to cover all the costs of treatment”, he said.
The Commissioner further assured the public that the arrested suspects will face full prosecution after investigations, reaffirming the state’s zero-tolerance stance on criminality.
In a separate remark, the Executive Chairman of Yagba West LGA and ALGON Chairman for Kogi State, Hon. Tosin Olokun, expressed gratitude to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for providing the logistics and support that enabled the success of the operation.
“Governor Ododo promised to restore peace to Yagba West and Yagba as a whole. Today, he has backed those words with decisive action. We can now heave a sigh of relief. The people of Yagba are grateful for his leadership and the results it is delivering,” Olokun said.
The Kogi State Government emphasized its ongoing commitment to working with federal and regional partners to ensure the safety and security of all communities within the state.
A high court in Ebonyi State has ordered the release of 24 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) after they were held in detention for four years.
The ruling on Thursday marks a significant development in the ongoing legal proceedings involving the group.
The 24 IPOB members were discharged and acquitted by Justice I. P. Chima of Ebonyi State High Court.
It was gathered that they were among the last batch of the IPOB detainees out of the 36 held since May 4 2020.
Meanwhile, their lawyer and human rights activist, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, confirmed their freedom in a statement titled, “Justice Delayed, But Never Denied.”
According to him, the ruling followed the preliminary objection which highlighted the brazen violation of their fundamental rights: particularly the constitutionally guaranteed protection against double jeopardy, enshrined under Section 36(9) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Ejiofor said the sacred principle, “autrefois acquit”, stipulates that no person shall be tried again for an offence in respect of which they have previously been acquitted.
Crime
Ebonyi Police arrests sisters in Crime for brother’s kidnap
The two sisters are security agents. while Juliet Chukwu is an operative of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ngozi Nancy Chukwu is of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
Two sisters have been apprehended by the Enugu State Police Command for allegedly masterminding the kidnapping of their brother, Mr. Friday Chukwu.
The two sisters, Juliet Chukwu and Ngozi Nancy Chukwu, are the younger sisters of the victim, who hails from Amaeze village, Ishiagu community, in the Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The two sisters are security agents. while Juliet Chukwu is an operative of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ngozi Nancy Chukwu is of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
It was gathered that through the duo’s connivance, Chukwu was kidnapped last month on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway near the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, in the Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu State.
And through the sisters’ prodding and subtle moves, it was claimed that the sum of N30 million was paid for their brother’s release.
Earlier, the two female security operatives orchestrated the abduction of the General Manager of China Oriental Mining Company, Dennis Igwe, in the same area on Monday.
Luck ran out of them when they were traced to a hidden hotel where they were to share the sum of N10m ransom paid for Igwe’s release, and they were arrested.
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