Actor Baba Ijesha Bags 16 Years Jail Term For Sexual Assault

BY CHINYERE OBIORA – Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court has sentenced Nollywood actor and comedian, Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, to 16 years imprisonment over sexual assault.

He was facing six counts of child defilement that include indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault by penetration.

The offences contravened Section 135, 137, 261, 202, 262, and 263 of the Lagos State Criminal Law 2015, which stipulates life imprisonment for offenders.

Justice Taiwo, who gave the judgment on Thursday, said the jail term will run concurrently for Baba Ijesha accused of sexually assaulting the 14-year-old daughter of his colleague, actress, and comedienne, Damilola Adekoya, whose stage name is Princess.

Operatives of the Nigeria Police arrested Baba Ijesha in April 2021 for sleeping with the victim since she was seven years old.

He was reported to the police on April 19, 2021, by Princess at Sabo Police Station and transferred to the Gender Unit of the State CID, Panti, Yaba Lagos for proper investigation

The suspect confessed to the crime and was also captured by a CCTV camera in the house of the complainant. A few days later, Baba Ijesha was arraigned before Justice Taiwo facing a six-count charge of child defilement bordering on allegations of indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault by penetration.

It was ruled in further court proceedings that the CCTV recordings on Baba Ijesha may have been tampered with. This is as a defence witness and expert in CCTV installation and maintenance, Adeleke Lawrence in February 2022, made the submission before the Court.

Led in evidence by Babatunde Ogala (SAN) during the trial, Lawrence made an allusion to this fact while giving his testimony in court. Four video recordings of Baba Ijesha were played during resumed proceedings following the request of Ogala.

The last court appearance finalised the case in June 2022 and fixed the final judgment for today, July 14, 2022, with the presiding judge ruling there was no evidence before the court to prove that the embattled actor was coerced by the Police to give his statement.