Sexual assault on minor: Nollywood actor, Baba Ijesha to remain in jail

Nollywood actor, James Olarenwaju, popularly called Baba Ijesha, has had his hopes of getting bail, pending the determination of his appeal at the Court of Appeal against his conversation for sexually abusing a minor dashed.

Dismissing the application, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo held that Baba Ijesha did not meet exceptional circumstances and criteria to justify his request.

She held that for the applicant to succeed, Baba Ijesha must show exceptional circumstances because his jail term is five years, which is to run concurrently.

However, she noted that there is no evidence that the appeal has been entered, adding that there is also no sign before the court that the case would not get expeditious hearing at the Appeal Court.

Gabriel Olabiran, the actor’s counsel,  on August 10 told the court that notice for bail pending appeal had been filed according to Section 6 (6) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 51 of the High Court law of Lagos State, administration of criminal justice law.

The counsel explained that the application was filed before the court because of difficulty in getting a date at the Court of Appeal.However, Yusuf Sule, the state prosecuting counsel, in a counter-affidavit dated August 18, argued that the defendant failed in its address to establish the special circumstances that would necessitate granting him bail.

The Nollywood actor was on July 14, 2022 handed a five-year jail term after the prosecution convinced the court that he was guilty of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and indecent treatment of a minor.