The Lagos State Government has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit Dr. Femi Olaleye of defilement and sexual assault charges involving his wife’s 16-year-old niece.
Dr. Olaleye, previously sentenced to life imprisonment by a Lagos court in October 2023, was acquitted in November due to alleged prosecutorial errors and unreliable evidence.
Civil rights groups pressured the state Attorney General to appeal the ruling, prompting the government to file a notice of appeal on December 27.
The government argues that the appellate court misapplied legal principles regarding child testimony, extrajudicial statements, and witness selection, and seeks to restore the original conviction to uphold public trust in the judiciary.
