Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, has petitioned the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, seeking to overturn his conviction by a Lagos State High Court for the sexual assault of a minor.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, retired, of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court, handed down a five-year prison sentence to Baba Ijesha on July 14, 2022, following his conviction for the aforementioned offense.
In response to the verdict, Baba Ijesha, dissatisfied with the outcome, has turned to the appeal court to contest his five-year incarceration.
Represented by his counsel, Kayode Olabiran, Baba Ijesha argued before the appeal court on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, that he was ensnared in a setup, claiming that his actions were in line with a scripted scenario to which he was invited by a colleague.
“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,” asserted Olabiran.
However, the Director of Public Prosecution, Dr. Babajide Martins, countered, urging the court to reject the appeal on grounds of lacking merit and being based on misconceptions. He further implored the court to uphold the judgment of the lower court.
Story: Elizabeth Ereke