Medical director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation Dr. Femi Olaleye has left prison after the Court of Appeal in Lagos nullified his conviction for allegedly defiling his wife’s 16-year-old niece (name withheld).
On October 24, 2023, Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi convicted Olaleye.
Olaleye however filed an appeal through his lawyer Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) in November 2023.
On November 29, 2024, the Appeal Court discharged and acquitted him.
The court unanimously held that the trial court erred in convicting Olaleye based on evidence deemed “tainted” and “unreliable.”
The appellate court found material contradictions in the prosecution’s evidence including testimony from Olaleye’s estranged wife Oluremi and the alleged survivor.
Testimonies from a child forensic specialist, a medical expert from the Mirabel Centre, and the investigating officer were described as “worthless.”
The court criticised the trial judge Justice Oshodi for “descending into the arena” and intervening to fill gaps in the prosecution’s case.
The prosecution was faulted for not presenting key witnesses including two family members who were reportedly present during Olaleye’s alleged confession.
Olaleye, on Friday, shared photos of himself on Instagram leaving the correctional centre. He described it as a “rebirth”.
“Freedom is not just a release—it is a rebirth. And on Tuesday, 03/12/24 my new chapter began! @drfemi is back and active!” he wrote.
