Witness tells court how doctor allegedly raped wife’s niece

LAGOS—A medical doctor, Mrs  Oyebimpe Akinbunmi, on Wednesday told an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court how one Dr Olufemi Olaleye allegedly defiled his wife’s 16-year-old niece.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Olaleye, the Medical Director of the Cancer Care Foundation, is facing a two-count charge of defilement and sexual assault by penetration. He, however, pleaded not guilty.

Akinbunmi, the fifth prosecution witness and a forensic expert at Mirabel Centre, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, also said that the defendant gave his victim pills to swallow to prevent pregnancy.

She was led evidence by Lagos State Director of  Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins.

According to the witness, “She (the minor) said the defendant usually called her at night when others were asleep, to come downstairs; he would remove his trousers and ask her to perform oral sex on him.

“According to her, the defendant sometimes would put his fingers in her vagina and would tell her she would die if she would tell anyone.”

The medical doctor further told the court that a medical examination on the survivor revealed injuries consistent with repeated forceful entry and blunt penetration of the vagina. It is an indication of ongoing forceful blunt penetration of the vagina.”

While being cross-examined by defence counsel, Mr Babatunde Ogala (SAN), the witness told the court that the pattern of injury she saw on the minor was consistent with what the survivor narrated to her.

The medical doctor further told the court that the survivor was already 18 years old at the time of the medical examination and she could not verify from her findings whether the bruises were caused by the defendant, adding that she could not tell when the alleged defilement started or ended.

Earlier, the Investigative Police Officer (IPO), Inspector  Esther Igbineweka,  testified as the fourth prosecution witness and told the court that she took the defendant’s statement in April 2022, when he denied the allegations.

During her cross-examination, the IPO said she was aware that the defendant had also alleged in his statement that the survivor was having sexual intercourse with one Meshach, who was working for the Olaleyes at the time.

She, however, added that she could not investigate further on the matter because the said Meshach was nowhere to be found.

The IPO also said she did not view the content of a CCTV footage, which the defendant presented to the police on the alleged sexual encounter between his wife’s niece and Meshach.

NAN reports that a child forensic interviewer, Mrs Olabisi Ajayi-Kayode, had on December 3 testified before the court, saying that the survivor informed her that the defendant wiped blood from her body with a tissue paper the first time he had sex with her.

Ajayi-Kayode said the survivor told her that she was introduced to serial sexual escapades by the defendant.

She said: “The survivor said there was a day the defendant told her to prepare ‘amala’ for him, and  while doing that, he took her to their study room and had sex with her.”

NAN reports that the survivor had on Dec. 21, 2021,  reportedly testified against the defendant in a  closed hearing which was in line with the 1999 Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act as amended.

NAN also reports that the wife of the defendant, Mrs Aderemi Fagbemi-Olaleye, on Dec. 19, told the court that her husband was diagnosed with sex addiction.

Justice Ramon Oshodi adjourned the case until Jan. 26 for the continuation of trial.