Lagos Urges Supreme Court to Reinstate Life Sentence of Doctor Convicted for Defiling 16-Year-Old Girl

The Lagos State Government has asked the Supreme Court to overturn the acquittal of Dr. Olufemi Olaleye, a medical practitioner earlier convicted of defiling his wife’s 16-year-old niece.

Dr. Olaleye, who serves as the Medical Director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, was found guilty by the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court and sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2023.

However, the Court of Appeal later set aside the conviction, freeing the doctor — a decision that the Lagos government has now taken before the apex court.

Represented by its legal team, the state is asking the Supreme Court to restore the trial court’s judgment, arguing that the appellate court erred in law by acquitting the defendant.

Meanwhile, Dr. Olaleye, through his counsel, Chief Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, has filed a preliminary objection, urging the court to dismiss the state’s appeal for lack of merit and competence.

In its response, the state described the objection as “misguided, baseless, and rooted in technicalities,” insisting that the evidence presented at trial clearly established guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

According to the government’s brief dated August 18, 2025, the appeal rests on four major grounds, including whether the victim’s age — which was not disputed during the trial — could be raised as a fresh issue at the appellate level.

The state further asked the court to determine whether the offences of defilement of a child under Section 137 and sexual assault by penetration under Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015) were sufficiently proven at the initial trial.

The Supreme Court’s ruling on the case is expected to set a key precedent in Nigeria’s ongoing battle against sexual violence and the protection of minors.