APPELLATE COURT RESERVES JUDGEMENT IN BABA IJESHA’S APPEAL AGAINST CONVICTION
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Court of Appeal Lagos Division has reserved its ruling on the appeal lodged by Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James, famously known as Baba Ijesha, contesting his conviction by a Lagos State High Court for the sexual assault of a minor.
The three-member appellate panel, chaired by Justice Folasade Ojo, reserved judgment following the presentation of arguments from both the appellant and the respondent. Justices Abdullahi Bayero and Paul Bassi complete the panel.
In his appeal marked CA/LAG/CR/544/23 and filed on June 1, 2023, Baba Ijesha, through his legal representative Kayode Olabiran, urged the appellate court to overturn the judgment handed down by the lower court.
During the appeal hearing, Baba Ijesha’s counsel contended that the prosecution failed to substantiate allegations of sexual assault against the actor. Olabiran argued that the charge centered on the defilement of a minor, yet the prosecution could not verify the victim’s age.
“The Appellant was set up. The Appellant is an actor. He acted in a script that he was invited to act by his colleague (PW1), Damilola Adekoya,” Olabiran stated.
He further emphasized that Baba Ijesha’s confession, obtained under duress, should not have been admitted as evidence. Additionally, he questioned the authenticity of the video evidence presented by the prosecution, asserting that it depicted a scripted scene, not an actual crime.
Responding to these arguments, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, urged the court to dismiss the appeal, asserting its lack of merit and misinterpretation of facts.
Dr. Martins addressed the issue of the victim’s age, stating that she was 14 years old at the time of the alleged offense, as per her testimony. He emphasized that the survivor’s age at the time of giving evidence, 17, still classified her as a minor under the law.
Baba Ijesha’s conviction stems from a judgment delivered by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo (rtd) of the Lagos State Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on July 14, 2022. The court found him guilty of indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault, resulting in a five-year prison sentence.
Despite being acquitted of some charges, the trial court convicted Baba Ijesha on counts related to indecently treating the minor and sexual assault. Justice Taiwo’s ruling underscored the significance of the victim’s age and Baba Ijesha’s consistent admission of guilt as decisive factors in the conviction
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