A civic advocacy group has called on Dr. Femi Olaleye, a Lagos-based physician previously convicted of sexual assault, to stop “playing the victim” and face the full weight of the Supreme Court trial in his ongoing legal battle.
The group, Justice Advocates for Survivors (JAS), issued a strong statement on Sunday, urging the embattled doctor to respect judicial processes and refrain from making public comments that seek to undermine the credibility of the justice system or cast aspersions on his accusers.
Dr. Olaleye, who was convicted in 2023 for sexually assaulting a minor under his care, has since appealed the judgment. The case, now expected to reach the Supreme Court, has attracted wide public interest and stirred debate over accountability, victim rights, and professional ethics in the medical community.
“We are disturbed by Dr. Olaleye’s recent attempts to paint himself as a victim,” the JAS statement reads. “This case is not about media trials or reputation damage. It is about justice for a survivor who had the courage to speak out.”
The group stressed that the appeal process is a legal right, but not a platform for manipulation of public sentiment or a means to escape justice.
“Let the Supreme Court do its work. If Dr. Olaleye truly believes in his innocence, he should submit to the process and allow the law to take its full course. Playing the victim only re-traumatizes the actual victim and undermines the courage of other survivors.”
JAS further called on the medical community and the Nigerian public to stand in solidarity with survivors of abuse and avoid narratives that shift blame or create sympathy for convicted offenders.