Some videos emerged on social media on Sunday, January 7, 2023, that popular Nollywood actor, Olarenwaju James known as Baba Ijesha has been freed from Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
One video featured a woman, believed to be his sister, expressing gratitude to God, stating that their family had not faced the anticipated shame as many had believed he would not be released.
Another video was shared by a Twitter user @Fellowobidients with an Islamic song playing on the background. The song was themed on thankfulness.
BACKGROUND:
On April 19, 2021, a video clip depicting the sexual assault of a minor by popular Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James, known as Baba Ijesha, circulated widely on social media.
The 14-year-old victim is the foster daughter of actress and comedian Damilola Adekoya, also known as Princess. On the same date, Princess reported the case of sexual assault of a minor to the Sabo Police Station in Yaba, Lagos State, detailing that the crime occurred at her residence.
He was arrested on April 22, 2021, and first appeared before Magistrate P.E. Nwaka of the Yaba Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos, on July 16, 2021.
The actor was later arraigned at the Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, who eventually convicted him to 16 years imprisonment for child defilement, at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos State on July 14, 2022.
She found him guilty on four of the six counts he faced.
The judge did not find the actor guilty on count one (sexual assault by penetration) and count six (attempted sexual assault by penetration).
The judge sentenced Baba Ijesha to five years imprisonment on count two (indecent treatment of a child), three years on count three (sexual assault), five years on count four (indecent treatment of a child) and three years on count five (sexual assault).
Baba Ijesha will however serve five years in prison because the sentences are to run concurrently.
“The defendant took his acting too far. This is very sad. The behaviour of the defendant is appalling, as this shows the length people can go in exhibiting the animalistic urge in them,” the judge said while convicting Baba Ijesha.
The case generated a lot of attention and controversy. It also ‘divided’ the entertainment industry as some celebs supported comedian, Princess Adekoya, whose ward was the one defiled; while some empathised with Baba Ijesha.
Some of the people who were sympathetic to Baba Ijesha’s plight were Yomi Fabiyi, Bukky Black, and Lege Miami. On his part, Fabiyi maintained that the actor was ‘ambushed’ into the crime.
On the other hand, actresses, such as Iyabo Ojo Nkechi Blessing, vehemently supported Princess.
Verification:
In a bid to verify the videos claiming that Baba Ijesha has been released from prison, Comrade Aghedo Kehinde Stephen, founder of Vanguard Liberation, a human rights organisation told BBC Yoruba that Baba Ijesha is yet to regain freedom and he is still very much in Kirikiri prison.
Comrade Stephen said; “Baba Ijesha is yet to be freed, but we are yet to know what will happen going by the appeal filed against his conviction.
“The videos circulating online are those from the first time he was released on bail (June 2021) before his actual conviction.
“If it is true that Baba Ijesha was freed, all media platforms would have lifted the news and the actor would have granted interview(s).
“We didn’t know anything about those circulating the video on social media.”
Conclusion:
Based on the information available, Baba Ijesha is still serving his jail term in KiriKiri prison. The videos claiming he has been released are old and misleading.
