Dr. Femi Olaleye, a Lagos-based medical doctor and former Managing Director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, is facing fresh allegations of harassment, threats, and defamation against his wife, children, and the victim of his alleged sexual assault. This comes after he fled to the United Kingdom following the overturning of his rape conviction by the Court of Appeal.
Dr. Olaleye was convicted by the Lagos Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court in October 2023 for child defilement and sexual assault by penetration. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. However, in November 2024, the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction, citing errors in the lower court’s ruling and deeming the prosecution’s evidence as “tainted” and “unreliable.”
Despite the acquittal, the Lagos State Government filed an appeal with the Supreme Court to review the decision. The appeal, signed by Dr. Babajide Martins, head of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), was officially received on December 27, 2024. The state’s legal team presented three key arguments in urging the Supreme Court to reinstate the conviction.
Amid the legal battle, Dr. Olaleye reportedly fled to the United Kingdom, raising concerns from legal and advocacy groups. The Executive Director of the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence, Gbenga Soloki, condemned his actions, highlighting the importance of ensuring justice for victims of sexual violence.
In addition to fleeing, Dr. Olaleye is now accused of ongoing harassment and threats against his wife, Mrs. Aderemi Olaleye, their two children, and his wife’s niece—who was his alleged rape victim. A London-based law firm, Clearshield Compliance, issued a cease-and-desist notice against him, accusing him of a campaign of intimidation and defamation.
The notice, dated February 22, 2025, was signed by attorney Michael A. Thornwell. It alleges that Dr. Olaleye engaged in a systematic pattern of threats, particularly against his wife and her niece. The letter claims his actions have caused psychological distress, especially to his children, including his daughter, who is undergoing therapy after witnessing the sexual abuse of her cousin.
The letter states: “Your digital pronouncements are a cynical exercise in self-preservation, willfully blind to the immense damage you inflict, particularly upon your children.”
Further allegations include claims that Dr. Olaleye admitted his actions in an email to his son in the UK while continuing to harass his victims. Findings from Nigeria’s National Population Commission confirmed the age of his wife’s niece at the time of the alleged crime, reinforcing the credibility of the charges.
Clearshield Compliance also alleged that Dr. Olaleye had a history of drugging and sexually assaulting vulnerable patients in Nigeria and the UK. It accused him of secretly recording victims for blackmail and of professional misconduct while working at Darrent Valley Hospital NHS Trust in the UK.
His supervisor at King’s College Hospital reportedly denied him clearance for further certification in obstetrics and gynecology due to ethical concerns. The law firm urged UK child protection authorities to intervene, describing his behavior as “demonstrably unfit for parenthood.”
The law firm has given Dr. Olaleye seven days to comply with the cease-and-desist notice. Failure to do so, it warned, would result in legal actions in both Nigeria and the UK. The firm also indicated its intent to escalate the matter to UK authorities, including the Metropolitan Police, Social Services, and the Crown Prosecution Service.
Meanwhile, women’s rights activists and advocacy groups continue to demand justice. The case has sparked public outcry, with calls for stricter enforcement of laws against sexual violence and harsher penalties for convicted offenders who attempt to evade justice.
As the Supreme Court prepares to review the Lagos State Government’s appeal, legal experts suggest that if Dr. Olaleye’s conviction is reinstated, Nigerian authorities may seek his extradition from the UK. Given the severity of the charges and international legal implications, his attempt to flee justice is unlikely to silence those calling for accountability.
