The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has reserved judgement in the appeal filed by Nollywood star Olanrewaju James, also known as Baba Ijesha, challenging his conviction by a Lagos State High Court.
On July 14, 2022, Baba Ijesa was convicted of sexual abuse on a minor.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo (retd.) of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court sentenced him to five years in jail.
On Tuesday, a three-member panel of the appellate court, chaired by Justice Folasade Ojo, heard Baba Ijesa’s appeal against his conviction and deferred judgement until a date to be communicated to the parties.
The panel also included Justice Abdullahi Bayero and Justice Paul Bassi.
In his notice of appeal, marked CA/LAG/CR/544/23, Baba Ijesha requested that the appellate court reject the lower court’s judgement.
His attorney, Mr. Kayode Olabiran, contended that the prosecution could not prove that Baba Ijesha sexually abused the victim.
Olabiran said, “The charge itself is centred on the defilement of a minor but the prosecution couldn’t prove the age of the victim.
“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.
“Damilola Adekoya asked the appellant to come and act a script. It is in the statement of PW1 at Panti Police Station, unknowingly to the appellant there was a CCTV in the sitting room.
“Whatever we watched in that movie was a script by the producer and the video of the scene of the acting was tendered by the prosecution.
“Based on his confessional statement as at the day of the arrest, he was under duress and there were so many people who were beating him that was when he confessed to the offence.”
Olabiran petitioned the court to approve the appeal and overturn the lower court’s judgement, which was issued on July 14, 2022.
In his response, the DPP, Dr Babajide Martins, requested the court to dismiss the appeal because it lacked merit and was also a misconception.
Martins also urged the court to uphold the lower court’s July 14, 2022 judgement, which found Baba Ijesha guilty of indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault.
READ MORE: Most Hit Songs In Nigeria Are Not Good Music – Singer Ric Hassani Asserts
On the victim’s age, Martin stated that the victim said she was born on October 6, 2006, putting her age at 14, in 2013 when the offence was committed.
“At the time she gave evidence in 2021, she was 17 years old, which still makes her a child,” he said.
