Court affirms Actor Baba Ijesha’s conviction

Information reaching the OsunReporters News has it that the Court of Appeal in Lagos on Friday, affirmed the judgement of a Lagos State High Court, which sentenced Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, also known as Baba Ijesha to five years imprisonment for sexual assault on a minor.

While delivering the jugment, Justice Folashade Ojo, said the court found the Appellant, Baba Ijesha guilty on counts 4 and 5, of indecently touching a minor and sexually assaulted her.

It should be recalled that Baba Ijesha was arraigned on a six-count charge of indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by penetration.

However, he was found guilty and sentenced to five years imprisonment in 2022 by the Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court.

Justice Taiwo exonerated him of the offence of sexual assault by penetration which deals with allegedly sexually assaulting the minor by penetration with his car key seven years ago and attempted sexual assault by penetration during another encounter with the minor on April 22, 2021.

,,,,,,,,In her jugment, the judge held that the prosecution successfully proved counts two and three that he indecently placed the survivor on his lap and rubbed his penis on her body.

Dissatisfied, Baba Ijesha through his counsel Mr. Kayode Olabiran, approached the appeal court praying it to allow the appeal and set aside his conviction and sentence.

..,,,,,,The Appellant argued that the prosecution failed to prove that he (Baba Ijesha) sexually assaulted the victim, contending that the appellant merely acted a script that he was invited to act.

,,,,,……Delivering judgment on the appeal yesterday, Justice Folashade Ojo set aside appellant’s conviction on indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault of a minor which allegedly occurred between 2013 and 2014 describing the testimony of PW1 (Damilola Adekoya) as hearsay.

,,,””‘:;;;Justice Ojo, however held that on the event that occurred on April 19, 2021, the evidence of PW1 (Damilola Adekoya) was an eye witness account adding that an eye witness account remains credible and one of the most effective ways to established commission of an offence.

Besides, the court held that the Appellant’s voluntarily confessed to the crime of the event of April 19, 2021, and did not challenge the statement of (PW1), Damilola Adekoya throughout the proceedings.

______Justice Ojo noted that the appellant made extra judicial statement at Sabo Police station Lagos State on 19th of April 2021, and another statement at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti on the 28th of April 2021, which were tendered in evidence, adding that in the two statements, the appellant admitted that he indecently touched and indeed molested PW2 while she was alone with him in PW1’s (Damilola Adekoya) apartment.