The UK trial of Nigerian doctor Francis Femi Olaleye has taken a procedural turn after prosecutors disclosed the emergence of new evidence, a development that has pushed substantive hearings into 2027 and reshaped the course of the case.
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When proceedings resumed at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, the focus was not on testimony or verdicts but on how late-surfacing material would affect timelines in a prosecution already marked by cross-border complexity.
The court was told that investigators had uncovered additional evidence linked to allegations of voyeurism, prompting the prosecution to seek more time to complete inquiries and formally serve the material on the defence.
Addressing the court, the prosecution said “new evidence has recently come to light,” explaining that further investigative steps were required before the case could proceed to trial.
Defence lawyers, in turn, asked for “adequate time” to examine the materials once disclosed and to prepare their response.
In light of these submissions, the court adjourned the matter until January 27, 2027, effectively freezing progress on the merits of the charges for another year. The case is listed under reference number 46/XY/11332/23.
The charges against Olaleye involve more than five alleged counts of voyeurism, said to have been committed while he was resident in the United Kingdom, before his relocation to Nigeria.
Court proceedings confirmed that all the alleged incidents forming the basis of the indictment relate to that earlier period of residence.
Beyond the adjournment, the hearing produced a significant ruling on the defendant’s custody status. The court noted that the “custody time limit” had expired. This is the statutory maximum period within which a defendant may be held in custody while awaiting trial. On that basis, the judge ordered that Olaleye be released on bail rather than being remanded.
Announcing the decision, the court made it clear that the release was not a comment on the merits of the case but flowed strictly from procedural law governing pre-trial detention.
As part of the bail conditions, Olaleye was ordered to surrender “all passports and travel documents,” reside at a specified address, and observe a nightly curfew, typically between 7pm and 6am.
Additional restrictions include regular reporting to a designated police station and a strict prohibition on contacting any of the prosecution witnesses.
The court stressed that compliance with these conditions is mandatory pending further hearings.
To manage the extended timeline, the judge also scheduled a case management hearing for March 26, 2026, at Medway Magistrates’ Court. That session is expected to deal with “procedural issues,” including disclosure obligations, the sequencing of evidence, and overall readiness for trial once investigations are concluded.
Olaleye did not enter a plea during the January 21 proceedings, as the hearing was described as largely administrative. The court emphasised that the defendant “is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.”
The unfolding UK case is drawing attention not only because of the nature of the allegations but also due to Olaleye’s legal history in Nigeria.
He was previously convicted by a Lagos State High Court on similar sexual offence charges and sentenced to life imprisonment. That conviction, however, was overturned by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, which set aside the judgment and ordered his release.
The Nigerian chapter of the case remains unresolved. An appeal filed by the Lagos State Government is currently pending before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, seeking to reinstate the life sentence earlier imposed by the trial court.
The offences for which Olaleye was previously convicted by a Lagos High Court are reported to have occurred prior to his return to Nigeria several years ago.
Olaleye was convicted in 2023 by Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court. However, the Court of Appeal overturned the ruling and set him free.
Dissatisfied with the appellate judgment, the Lagos State Government, through the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, filed a further appeal at the Supreme Court seeking to reinstate the High Court conviction. A hearing date is still pending.
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