The head of a top Nigerian cancer clinic has been sentenced to life in prison for raping his wife's teenage niece.
Dr Olufemi Olaleye sexually assaulted the girl for more than a year until his wife found out and informed the police, the prosecutor said.
The doctor had pleaded not guilty during the trial.
But a judge in a Lagos court said he found the evidence against the doctor compelling and rejected his plea.
Olaleye is the head of the Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, which offers free breast and cervical cancer screening for women.
He was arraigned in November last year on two counts of rape between December 2019 and July 2022, when the girl went to live with their family.
During the trial, the doctor's wife, Aderemi Olaleye, said she discovered the abuse after the girl told her aunt and the family's driver.
The girl, now aged 18, said the doctor had been sleeping with her and had threatened to kill her if she told anyone, the doctor's wife said.
He was also accused of forcing her to watch pornography.
Six witnesses - the girl, the defendant's wife, a medical doctor, a child-care expert and two police officers involved in the investigations - testified in the trial.
The doctor also testified in his own defence alongside his forensic physician who faulted the medical evidence presented by the prosecution.
But while delivering the judgement on Tuesday, Justice Rahman Oshodi said the evidence presented before the court "greatly implicates" the defendant.
Justice Oshodi described Olaleye as a "dangerous" offender who did not show any sign of remorse.
According to the judge, Olaleye's earlier confession to the police proved that he had committed the offences.
The judge rejected the arguments by the doctor's legal team that the girl was tutored by the defendant's wife to lie against him as part of a scheme to take over his property.
"I, therefore, find the defendant guilty as charged," the judge ruled.
"This charge has a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment," he said.
In his plea for leniency, the doctor's lawyer, Adebisi Oridate, asked the state to recognise Olaleye's services as a cancer doctor and that he was a first-time offender.
But the judge dismissed the plea and said that Olaleye must be confined to the prison for a long period of time as proof that Nigeria's justice system frowned on sexual violence.
He also ordered the name of the doctor to be added to the Lagos State sex offenders register.
It is not clear if the doctor will appeal against the sentence.
Latest Stories
-
Man remanded for allegedly stabbing businessman with broken bottle and screwdriver
19 mins -
Population in Kumasi Central Prison surges to 1800, threefold exceeding capacity
29 mins -
NPP to conduct La Dadekotopon parliamentary primary today
29 mins -
KPMG’s report on GRA and SML deal, government white paper on report and matters arising
29 mins -
I won’t reply to Chris Brown tour criticism – Ayra Star
31 mins -
British Columbia to back off drug decriminalisation project
39 mins -
Veteran commentator Joe Lartey Sr dies at 96
40 mins -
Livestream: Newsfile discusses KPMG report on SML deal, ILO on SSNIT reserves and NDC’s running mate
1 hour -
Ghanaian activist hugs over 1,100 trees in an hour to set Guinness World Records
1 hour -
Mathew Anim Cudjoe’s Dundee United promoted to Scottish Premiership after Championship win
1 hour -
NSMQ star Jochebed Adwoa Sutherland sweeps 12 awards at UG Vice-Chancellor’s Ceremony
2 hours -
Ghana’s Education Quality ranked 125 out of 183 countries in latest Global Youth Development Index
2 hours -
Emma Stone wants people to use her real first name
3 hours -
Verna Purified Water emerges as ultimate winner at Ghana Beverage Awards 2023
3 hours -
FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Sundowns, Esperance join Al Ahly and Wydad as CAF representatives
6 hours