The trial of Nollywood actor, James Olanrewaju, a.k.a. Baba Ijesha, has continued, with the screening of a video of the forensic interview of the victim before Justice Toyin Taiwo at the Ikeja Sexual Offences Court on Wednesday.
She gave a description of the position of the settee, the shelf and carpets in their parlour.
Using a female and male doll for narration, the victim described where the defendant sat and invited her to sit on his lap.
She also used the dolls to describe how she was allegedly defiled by the defendant.
She also recalled the defendant asking her if he should bring out his manhood but that she didn’t answer him.
According to her, the defendant brought out his manhood and made her sit on it and that after some time, she felt his wetness.
She said the defendant used a handkerchief to clean himself while she went to the bathroom and used water, soap and a towel to clean.
She said that the second day, the defendant came to their house and told her mother that he brought fruits for her.
She said her mother instructed her to follow him to his car to bring the fruits.
The survivor, in the video, explained that the defendant parked away from their house and when they got to his car, Baba Ijesha allegedly opened the passenger door in front and she had to kneel on the seat and stretch out to reach the fruits on the back seat and while at it, the accused allegedly inserted his car key into her vagina.
The victim added that she did not ṣee Baba Ijesha again for about seven years until April 19 this year when he suddenly appeared ìn their new house.
According to her, when Baba Ijesha came ìn, he went around the house and was checking the walls.
“I was afraid because I didn’t know what he was about to do. I sat at one side of the settee he sat on the other side. There was a throw-pillow between us.
“He asked if my mum was around, I was afraid to tell him whether or not she was at home.
“He called me ‘my sweet girl’ and ‘my baby’.
“He reminded me of the events of seven years agọ.
“He called me to come and sit on his legs and I said ‘No’.
“He said when I was small, I was not afraid of him but now you are afraid.”
The DPP, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, thereafter stopped playing the video clip on the order of the Court.
Mrs Ajayi-Kayode, told the court under cross-examination by the lead defence counsel, Babatunde Ogala (SAN), that she was a qualified lawyer and certified child forensic expert trained and certified abroad, adding that she was not a child advocate but a child forensic expert, who had received training on child psychology and development.
Mrs Ajayi-Kayode maintained that the brain of the victim was well developed to recall events that took place seven years ago, insisting that the victim gave a good account of what happened to her seven years ago without interference.
On how she determined if the survivor was telling the truth, the child forensic expert said she only asked her open-ended questions.
“When we are doing a forensic interview, we always invite the Police,” she added.
Responding to Dada Awosika (SAN), under cross-examination, she said the method she used ìn interviewing the victim was in accordance with global protocol.
Mrs Ajayi-Kayode explained that among other degrees, a trained child forensic expert must have obtained a university degree in law, and medical science first.
