Court sentences Baba Ijesha to 16 years imprisonment

Nigerian Nollywood actor Olarenwaju James, known as Baba Ijesha, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a minor.

Baba Ijesha faces a protracted legal battle after he allegedly sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl.

The actor was charged on June 24, 2021. During the trial, six prosecution witnesses testified against him.

They are comedian Princess, a 14-year-old minor, Olabisi Ajayi-Kayode, a child expert; Aniekan Makanjuola, a doctor; Wahab Kareem, the investigating police officer; and Abigail Omane, a police officer.

The judge of Ikeja Special Criminal Court, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, sentenced Baba Ijesha to indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault and attempted sexual assault in a two-hour verdict.

However, Taiwo released him and acquitted him of counts one and six, which were sexual assault through penetration and attempted sexual assault through penetration.

He faces six counts of indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault through penetration and sexual assault through penetration.

The charges were proffered against him by the Lagos state directorate of public prosecutions (DPP).

The offences violate Sections 135, 137, 261, 202, 262 and 263 of the Lagos State Criminal Law 2015 which provide for life imprisonment for offenders.

The actor denied the allegations. A CCTV video recording was played in court detailing his relationship with the allegedly underage victim.

In delivering the verdict, Judge Taiwo said prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty of all the charges against him.

However, she found the defendant guilty of two of the six charges against him

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