Lagos State has filed a Supreme Court appeal to challenge the acquittal of Dr. Femi Olaleye, convicted for child rape. The government argues that the appellate court’s ruling disregarded key legal provisions, including the victim’s testimony and confessional statements. They seek the reinstatement of the original conviction.
The Lagos State government has taken action to challenge the recent acquittal of Dr. Femi Olaleye, a medical doctor convicted of rape. Olaleye, who was initially sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2023 for defiling a child, had his conviction overturned by a three-member panel at the Lagos Court of Appeal in November 2024. The appellate court deemed the original conviction flawed, describing the testimonies of Olaleye’s wife and the victim as unreliable and tainted by ulterior motives.
In response, Lagos State has filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court. The government is contesting the appellate court’s decision, which they claim wrongly required corroboration of the victim's testimony, disregarded confessional statements from the defendant, and dismissed key witness testimonies.
The notice includes three main grounds of appeal: the legal error of demanding corroboration for the victim’s sworn evidence, the improper exclusion of confessional statements, and the impact of absent witnesses.
The Lagos government seeks to have the Supreme Court overturn the appellate court’s ruling and reinstate Olaleye’s conviction. Civil rights organizations have also urged the state to press the case, signaling their continued interest in the matter.
