------AS HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS HAIL JUDICIARY, LAGOS STATE GOVT, POLICE, MEDIA OVER JUDGMENT
More revelations have emerged in the accusations against Dr. Femi Olaleye the Founder of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation in Lagos who was sentenced to life imprisonment for defiling a 16 year old niece of his wife.
It was gathered during a press conference in Lagos on Friday that Dr. Olaleye 's agents tried to financially induce the 16 years old girl and her mother ,so that she can recant her earlier statement that Dr. Olaleye defiled her.
Mrs. Anthonia Ojenegbon of Tonia Brusied BUT NOT BROKEN FOUNDATION said " This little girl is the heroine of this case. She was given money to change her story a few days before the judgment , N400, 000 was paid into her mother's account for her to change her story. She was told to do a video and change her story and after that she will be paid N2.1 million making it a total of N2.5 million but she refused. Her mother returned the money and we have the receipt as evidence and we filed it as an affidavit in court".
The human rights activists at the press conference include the Radical Movement in the NBA, Tonia Bruised But Not Broken Foundation, Stop The Abuse Foundation ,Mirabel Center ,Cece Yara Foundation , Child Protection Network
, Be Inspired Women Empowerment Foundation ,Bimbo Odukoya Foundation And Advocate for children and vulnerable Persons Network ACVPN. Others are Smile and Shine Children Foundation , Family Wellness Therapy Center, Mom to Mom Foundation, Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV) urged other survivors to speak out and not be intimidated or allowed themselves to be induced.
The spokes person for the human rights groups, Barrister Adesina Ogunlana said " Yes, we celebrate our collective victory with the win of the sentencing of life imprisonment of Dr. Femi Frank Olaleye. A notorious unrepentant pedophile and a liar in the words of the court.
We all started this journey together with our relentless call and subsequent protests asking the Lagos State government to arrest and prosecute Dr. Femi Olaleye for the defilement of his wife's niece after one year that a complaint was filed against him and our joy knew no bounds when he was subsequently arrested and arraigned on two counts of sexual assault and defilement of his wife's niece.
Exactly a year after, arraignment, Justice Rahmon Oshodi of the Lagos High Court, the Daniel in this case gave an erudite judgement that left no one in doubt that there is a difference between judgement and Justice because this poor indigent survivor who is the daughter of nobody without paying a penny to anyone and without having connections got JUSTICE!!!!
This is not Uhuru yet because the war against sexual and gender based violence is still raging"
Condemning the growing menace of rape, and other violence against women, Barr. Ogunlana said " Just yesterday, we got a report from Enugu that a three years old girl was brutally raped by an unknown person to the extent of requiring surgery. The school under whose care this sordid incident happened have now in cahoots with the Nigerian Police, Enugu started threatening to arrest the mother of the child for defamation without investigating the real crime of rape. As we were rejoicing on the 24th of October, 2023 after the court victory, one of members got a report of a girl who was brutally raped and dumped somewhere in Ojodu in her bloodied uniform who later died before help could come to her.
Another is the incident of a girl of six years old in the Ipaja area of Lagos State who brutally raped ,beaten and strangulated to death. No one has been charged to court yet, the perpetrator is still in police custody at Panti. How many lives will be wasted and ended before it even starts because we as a society have refused to stand up for our defenceless and vulnerable?
We have seen shocking Comments by Nigerians especially on social media saying that the sentencing was too much or that the wife of Dr. Olaleye should not have taken a stand against her husband.
Our question is , would those asking these questions still hold this stance if they were the relative of that little child whose virginity was stolen from her ?
Would this still be your position if this big man's wife knowing the atrocities her husband has done against your child covered up for her husband because she knows you are poor and not well connected to pursue justice
In the now famous word of Mr. Raji Fashola( SAN) " may our loyalties never be tested"
Mrs Olaleye , thank you for standing for humanity. You the real heroine! You saved our wives,sisters and daughters from being molested by this serial and unremorseful fiend. May posterity judge you most kindly.
Once more we want to thank you the gentlemen of the press. We also thank the Lagos State government for its unrelentless fight against sexual and gender based violence. Special emphasis must be made on the effort of the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions, Lagos State. We thank the Nigerian Police too for their support especially in this instant case. Thank you to all the sexual referral centers and every advocate who is working tirelessly to rid our nation of this malady.
We must on this note implore the general public to support us more by fighting this menace. Stop toxic forgiveness or what we " by fire ,by force forgiveness of perpetrators.
In the crime of rape, the only way we can win this war is to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted.
Mrs Joy Shokoya of Mirable Foundation said collaboration among the human rights activists from different rights groups aided the strong voice to push for the prosecution of the case of rape against Dr. Olaleye. She said " This case shows collaboration and synergy we have between agencies. There is support for the victims as we are all working together for the victims".
Mrs Pamela Udofia the Lead Therapist of Family Wellness Therapy Center as well as Mrs. Bisi Ajan - Kayode of the Ceceyara Foundation urged victims of rape and domestic violence to seek help so they can be treated of the traumatic experience they went through.
Mrs. Udofia said " The little girl is the heroine in this case . Inspite of the intimidation, harassment, fear,she was subjected to, she maintained her statement. We are here to help victims . There is something that is called childhood adverse experience. If you do not come out to speak about the experience and seek help , you will become very sad and that can lead to depression and depression can lead to suicide. Please come out and speak , we are ready to help in every way".
Ndidi Toyin of Stop the Abuse Women and Children Foundation on behalf of the human rights groups applauded the Lagos state government, the judiciary, the police, media organisations that ensure that the case was followed through and the desired judgment and justice was meted out on Dr. Olaleye.
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