Lagos yet to appeal judgment nullifying Olaleye’s rape conviction

The Lagos State Government has yet to appeal the Court of Appeal’s ruling that overturned Dr. Femi Olaleye’s rape conviction, despite a huge outcry from civil society organizations, or CSOs.

In October 2023, the Lagos Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court found Dr. Olaleye, a physician and the managing director of the Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, guilty of child defilement and sexual assault by penetration.

However, pointing to mistakes in the lower court’s ruling, the Court of Appeal reversed the conviction in November 2023.

Dr. Olaleye was acquitted when the appellate court declared the prosecution’s evidence to be “tainted” and “unreliable.”

CSOs responded to the ruling by petitioning Lagos Attorney General Lawal Pedro, SAN, to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court in order to rebuild public confidence in the legal system.
Such an appeal must be filed by December 28, 2024.

However, sources in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice stated at the time of publication that there are currently no preparations to appeal the ruling.

Additionally, it was learned that although the Attorney General’s office had received the grounds for appeal produced by the Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) office, nothing more had been done.

Project Alert founder Josephine Effah-Chukwuma read the petition to the Attorney-General while speaking to reporters at the National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) Lagos headquarters.

Because the case’s judgment has significant ramifications for justice and public trust, Effah-Chukwuma emphasized the vital significance of appealing the ruling.

Kingsley Egbulem of Men Against Rape, Bisi Ajayi-Kayode of Cece Yara Child Advocacy Center, Itoro Eze-Anaba of Mirabel Center, and Toyin Taiwo-Ojo of Stop the Abuse Against Women and Children Foundation all signed the petition.