Set Date For Baba Ijesha Case To Be Decided Upon

The Ikeja Special Offences Court has deferred the case of prominent Nollywood Actor Olanrewaju James, Baba Ijesha, accused of defiling a 14-year-old girl till July 14. On Monday, June 6,  Oluwatoyin Taiwo the Justice postponed the case for judgment after the prosecution and defense counsel issued their last written addresses. Baba Ijesha is accused of, indecently treating a minor, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault by penetration.

The Lagos State DPP (Directorate of Public Prosecutions)  brought the allegations against him. On the other hand, Baba Ijesha has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Dada Awosika, the defendant's lawyer, sought the court to dismiss the case and discharge the defendant in his last written address dated May 12 and filed on May 16. go

Mr. Awosika claimed that the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) material was taken unlawfully.

"The exhibit was not tendered by the maker. It was tendered by Princess, the complainant," 

he said.

He claimed that the video had been manipulated with, noting that the defendant had not gone to the complainant's residence uninvited. Mr. Awosika went on to say that this was all the more odd because he was accused of a crime seven years ago that was never reported to the police. He further claimed that the defendant's supposed confessional statement violated Section 9 (3) of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) 2021.

 "We urge the court to discredit the confessional statement. The defendant moved in a jiffy to participate in a short skirt that put him in trouble. My Lord, my client was trapped.

 "Concerning the age of the girl in question, Exhibits D and E are not saying the same thing.

 "It is our submission, My Lord, that the court is bound to call the biological mother inside the box to tell us her real age or her birth certificate or scientific evidence is tendered to ascertain the age but none was done.

 "The prosecution agreed that the age of the minor must be established. However, it has also agreed that nothing has been done to provide the real age," 

Mr Awosika said.

 The Director of DPP, Babajide Martins, in his last written address dated May 31, however, urged the court to convict Baba Ijesha as charged.

 He argued that one of the defense witnesses, Lawrence Ayeni told the court that the CCTV recording could not be manipulated.

"On the issue of the CCTV recording My Lord, the first defence witness(Ayeni) told this honourable court during cross-examination that it cannot be manipulated and that the content of CCTV cannot be changed.

 "Most importantly, he said he cannot say if the sexual assault did not happen. These are the testimonies from the defence witness, My Lord.

 "The defendant admitted to having been with the girl in both the incident that happened seven years ago and the one that happened in 2021.

 "He also admitted to having sucked her fingers during the cross-examination,” 

he said.

He went on to say that the accusation of defilement may be used to anybody under the age of 18.

 "We have compelling evidence of six prosecution witnesses which I must say are not contradictory," 

Mr Martins said.

According to the DPP, the defendant also confessed throughout the trial that he never stated acting on a script when the police held him at Sabo and Panti.