Court Adjourns Baba Ijesha’s trial

An Ikeja Special Offences Court has adjourned until September 27 the trial of Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James (Baba Ijesha) charged with sexually abusing a minor.

The trial, scheduled to continue today (Wednesday), did not hold due to the absence of the presiding judge, Oluwatoyin Taiwo.

Ms Taiwo is currently attending Lagos judges retreat.

The registrars at the court disclosed that the new trial date had been communicated to the parties in the suit.

Baba Ijesha, arraigned on June 24, is charged with six counts bordering on the defilement of a minor.

The prosecution led by Olayinka Adeyemi, the Lagos Director of Public Prosecution, has presented two witnesses for the prosecution.

The first prosecution witness was a popular actress and comedienne, Damilola Adekoya (Princess), the foster mother of the minor (name withheld), and the second witness is the alleged victim.

The witnesses testified against the embattled actor at the last court proceedings held on July 27.

According to the charge, the defendant committed the offence in 2013, 2014, and April 19 at Iwaya, Yaba.

“Sometime between 2013 and 2014, the defendant sexually abused the complainant (name withheld), then aged seven, by inserting his car keys into her vagina,” the DPP told the court. “He also placed her on his laps, touched her in a sexual manner, and rubbed his penis on her body. On April 19, he indecently treated and sexually assaulted the complainant, now 14, by sucking her fingers and touching her in a sexual manner.”

Providing further details, the prosecutor said Baba Ijesha also “attempted to have sexual intercourse with the complainant by unbuckling his belt and unzipping his trousers after sexually assaulting her.”

The alleged offence, the prosecution said, contravened the provisions of sections 135, 259, 262, 263, and 262 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.