Babatunde Ogala, lawyer to Dr Femi Olaleye, who is facing charges of defilement of minor, on Wednesday prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on liberal term.
Olaleye, the medical director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, was arraigned at Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court. He was charged with alleged defilement of his wife’s 16 year-old niece.
In praying for bail, Ogala argued that the defendant had cancer patients who looked up to him for his service and would not be productive if remanded in prison.
He also urged the court to use its discretion to grant the defendant bail, adding that he appeared voluntarily in court after he had been served.
”I wish to say they the defendant, not withstanding, is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. I wish to infer to a similar case of Olarewaju James. The charged were the same and the circumstances were the same,” he said.
“Even in the case of Nnamdi Kalu, who was charged with treason, the court still used its discretion and granted him bail.
“The defendant has reliable sureties who are his professional colleagues, willing and ready to put their profession on the line to stand ad sureties for him.
“He has a leading cancer NGO and he has patients who look up to him. In view of this my lord, we urge this honourable court to grant the defendant bail on liberal term.”
The prosecution team, led by the director of the public prosecution (DPP,) Babajide Martins, in his counter affidavit dated November 28, argued that the nature of the charge was serious enough because it attracted life imprisonment.
Martins argued that the complainant was the first wife of the defendant while the nominal complainant was the niece of the wife.
The court subsequently granted Olaleye bail in the sum of N50million.
Justice Ramon Oshodi admitted the defendant to bail with two sureties in like.
Justice Oshodi ruled that the sureties must have landed properties in Lagos and the original documents of the properties must be submitted to the chief registrar of the court.
He also said that the defendant must submit his British, Nigerian and other international passports in his possession to the chief registrar of the court.
The judge further ordered the court audile to verify the residential addresses of the sureties.
Justice Oshodi, however, ruled that the defendant be remanded in Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending when he meets the conditions of the bail.
The judge adjourned the case until December 19 for commencement of trial.
