An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Wednesday admitted the Medical Director (MD) of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation (OCCF), Dr Femi Olaleye, charged with defilement of his wife’s 16-year-old niece to bail in the sum of N50 million.
Justice Ramon Oshodi, however, ruled that the defendant be remanded in the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending when he met the bail conditions and adjourned to December 19.
The lead defence counsel, Babatunde Ogala (SAN), while praying the court to grant the defendant bail on liberal terms, said, “I wish to say that the defendant, notwithstanding, is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. I wish to infer a similar case of Olarewaju Jame. The charge is the same and the circumstances are the same. Even in the case of Nnamdi Kanu who was charged with treason; the court still used its discretion and granted him bail.
“The defendant has reliable sureties who are his professional colleagues willing and ready to put their profession on the line to stand as sureties for him.
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“He has a leading cancer NGO and he has patients who look up to him.”
The prosecution team, led by the Director of the Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr Babajide Martins, in his counter affidavit, argued that the nature of the charge was serious enough because it attracted life imprisonment.
He said, “My lord, what the prosecution is concerned about is the defendant has capability to travel at very short notice. We urge the court to have the defendant submit his Nigerian passport and British passport well in the interest of justice.
“More importantly, my lord, there is a need for the defence to present exceptional circumstances for the court to grant the defendant bail.
“If my lord is kind enough to grant him bail, we urge the court to be mindful that the defendant is not at flight risk and does not interfere with the prosecution witnesses.” (NAN)
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