His arraignment was delayed on Monday because a medical director, Femi Olaleye, was not present in an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offenses Court.
Olaleye was scheduled to be charged with defiling a 16-year-old girl (name withheld).
Following Olaleye’s absence from court, Justice Ramon Oshodi postponed the arraignment of Olaleye to November 30.
When the matter was called, the State’s attorney, Mr. Oluwagbenga Alagbe, informed the court that the defendants were prepared for arraignment but, regrettably, Olaleye was not there.
In a letter dated November 18 that was sent to the suspect, the investigating police officer, or IPO, Alagbe testified in court that the prosecution had taken the necessary steps to inform all parties of today’s proceedings.
He then requested that a bench warrant be issued against him by the court.
In his answer, the defence attorney, Mr. Babatunde Ogala, SAN, expressed regret for his client’s absence and mentioned that he was out of town when the letter was sent to him.
Although they were prepared to accept the procedure on his behalf, he claimed that the suspect had not been served.
Ogala requested the court to give them further dates and assured the court that he will be present on the upcoming adjournment date.
After the court sessions, there was a small scene in which one of the attorneys, Mr. Olusegun Fabunmi, SAN, who represented Olaleye, harassed and degraded a group of journalists for documenting the occurrence.
Fabunmi, stating that journalists do not have the right to video record outside of the courthouse, ordered the judge Audile Gbadamosi to seize the reporters’ phones.
According to reports, on November 20, the Lagos State Government sent the medical doctor’s office a letter of notification with the subject line “State of Lagos vs. Dr. Olufemi Olaleye,” written by the Principal State Council of DPP, Mr. Oluwagbenga Alagbe.
