Baba Ijesha sentenced to prison for sexual assault – How di mata waka

Baba Ijesha in court

BBC
Baba Ijesha in court today

Lagos Special Offenses court don sentence Nigerian actor – Olanrewaju Omiyinka aka Baba Ijesha to 16 years in prison.

Dem find am guilty of four counts of sexual assault.

Dem drop two counts (attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by penetration counts).

Di judge say di prosecution fail to provide enough evidence to prove those ones.

Di mata dey happun for di Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court for Ikeja.

Authorities bin arraign Baba Ijesha before court on a six-count charge of indecent treatment of a child, defilement of a child, sexual assault by penetration, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault.

E bin plead not guilty to di charges.

How di mata waka

On di day di court fix date for judgement, di prosecution and defence counsel bin adopt dia final written addresses.

Di defence counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dada Awosika bin ask di court not to consider as importance exhibit A, di CCTV footage wey di prosecution tender. E ask di court to dismiss and reject di evidence on di grounds say dem tamper wit am.

Lagos State Director of Prosecution, Dr Babajide Martins, on im part, tell di court say de no fit throway di testimonies of di seven prosecution witnesses.

Martins say, “During cross-examination of di CCTV expert, Lawrence Ayeni, e confam say dem no fi manipulate or tamper wit CCTV footage.

E ask di court to accept di testimonies of di experts wey give dia best to epp resolve di case.

Na on May 4, 2021 Lagos state goment reveal say dem determine a Prima Facie case against Baba Ijesha and recommend say make dem charge am under di five provisions of di criminal law of Lagos state.

According to di statement wey di Attorney General and Commissioner of di state Moyosore Onigbanjo sign, police bin forward di case to di Directorate of Public Prosecutions. DPP, for legal advise.

Di statement add say di DPP advise say dem establish case against Baba Ijesha and recommend dem to charge am under five provisions of di 2015 Criminal Law of Lagos state.

• Section 135, Indecent Treatment of a child -wey dey punishable by 7 years imprisonment

• Section 137, Defilement of a Child, wey dey punishable by life imprisonment

• Section 261, Sexual Assault by Penetration – e dey punishable by life imprisonment

• Section 262, Attempted Sexual Assault by Penetration – wey dey punishable by 14 years imprisonment and

• Section 263, Sexual Assault – wey dey punishable by 3 years imprisonment

Key timeline for Baba Ijesha case

April 22, 2021: Police arrest and detain Baba Ijesha ontop accuse say e allegedly sexually assault one small girl.

May 4, 2021: Lagos state goment reveal say dem determine a Prima Facie case against Baba Ijesha and recommend say make dem charge am under five provisions of di criminal law of Lagos state.

May 14, 2021: Due to im health conditions, judicial authorities for Lagos grant Baba Ijesha bail wit some conditions but di actor no meet all di bail conditions.

May 16, 2021: Court extend Baba Ijesha time for detention and deny am bail.

June 24, 2021: Court grant Baba Ijesha bail, di bail condition include say e go tender two million naira wit two sureties.

September 28, 2021: Forensic expert give evidence of how di actor allegedly molest under-aged girl.

February 17, 2022: Baba Ijesha challenge content of CCTV video as witness say dem fit don ‘tamper’ wit am.

June 6, 2022: Court fix July 14, 2022 to deliver judgement on case.

Baba Ijesha dey leave court afta dem grant am bail

BBC
Baba Ijesha (in white) dey leave court afta dem grant am bail

Who be Baba Ijesha?

Baba Ijesha wey im real name na Olarenwaju Omiyinka na popular Nigerian Comedian, actor and movie producer.

E dey well known for im role in Yoruba movies like Afefe Ife, Opolo and Ololo Masun.

Dem give am di nickname ‘Baba Ijesha’ wen e feature in a movie wia e act di role of Ijesha man.