Sexual assault: Court schedules Baba Ijesha next appearance for July

The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has scheduled July for the next appearance of the popular Yoruba actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka aka Baba Ijesha after his “ Adoption of Final written address of both council”. 

The trial is aimed at validating the voluntariness of the proposed confessional statement made by Baba Ijesha at the Sabo police division, Yaba, Lagos, after he was arrested on April 22. 

The confessional statements which were taken by a police officer, Abigail Omame, had indicated that The Yoruba actor initially confessed to having raped a minor. 

The defence counsel led by Dada Awosika opposed the statements. Awosika argued that, according to the Evidence Act, section 29 subsection 5, in relation to the testimonies presented before the court both by Ms Omame and Baba Ijesha, the statements were obtained from his client under duress. 

According to Awosika, who made reference to the video presented by the State CID, PW5, Inspector Wahab Lateef said he was not the maker of the video. 

Awosika who also quoted the fifth Prosecuting witness saying that “in fact in his testimony, he stated that it was recorded by his colleague through a Samsung phone. 

“I urge the judge that under that circumstance, the judge must not ascribe the guilty back to the cell, from the basis that it was not tender by the owner of the phone”. 

“Exhibit “a” was not tender by the maker, as it was rendered by Princess. The CCTV forage was tampered with because it was not tendered in its original form” 

“The certificate of compliance attached to exhibit “m”, is various to the other testimony of PW5” 

In his defence, he stated that both exhibit j and j1 do not by any means link the defendant to alleged penetration that happened 7 years ago. 

Meanwhile, the prosecution, led by Y.A Sule, insisted that the CCTV footage cannot be edited 

The judge, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, adjourned the case to the 14th of July, 2022 after the adoption of the final written address of both councils. 

Recall that the trial started on April 22, 2021, and still lingers to date. 

Baba Ijesha was arrested by the Lagos state police command for allegedly sexually assaulting a 14 years old foster daughter of a popular Yoruba comedienne, Damilola Adekoya, popularly known as Princess. 

Baba Ijesha was charged with six counts of sexual assault by penetration, indecent treatment of a child and a sexual assault, which contravene sections 259, 135, and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011, as well as 135, 263, and 262 Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. 

Eagle