[UPDATED] Baba Ijesha: Witness Fails To Appear In Court Over ‘Unknown Fears’

The Ikeja Special Offences Court has again adjourned the trial of embattled Nollywood actor, James Olanrewaju, aka Baba Ijesha till November 19 and December 2.

This followed the refusal of one of the witnesses to appear in court over fears of the unknown.

Similarly, another witness, who is a police officer, was not able to attend the court proceedings because he had been transferred to a distant police station.

One of the lawyers said, “At the court today, the hearing could not continue because the prosecuting counsel had called for adjournment.“

One of the witnesses, a police officer has been transferred to a far station. Also, there is another person who has expressed fears. The case has been adjourned to November 19 and December 2.”

Baba Ijesha has been entangled in a case of child molestation since April 2021 and was remanded in police custody after his arrest on April 22.

He was, however, released on June 24.Justice Taiwo granted Baba Ijesha bail in the sum of N2 million and two sureties: a lawyer and a family relation.

The movie star was charged on six counts of sexual assault by penetration, indecent treatment of a child, and sexual assault, which contravene sections 259, 135, and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011, as well as 135, 263, and 262 Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

Some days ago, a police officer attached to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba, Lagos, Wahab Kareem testified as the fifth prosecution witness in the trial of the actor over the defilement of a minor.

He said, “During our investigation, another girl (name withheld) came forward and said the defendant assaulted her when she was 12 years old.“

We interviewed her and the defendant behind the counter and he vehemently denied the allegation.

“The girl said the incident occurred at Agah area of Ikorodu, and we told a representative of the defendant to follow us to the house and we met the landlord.“

The landlord showed us an apartment and said, ‘This is where Baba Ijesha used to live.’

“Meanwhile, Baba Ijesha had earlier denied living in that area.”

Following this, the statement of Baba Ijesha’s former landlord, Alhaji Jameel, and the defendant’s statement at the SCIID were reportedly admitted in evidence.

During proceedings, a video recording of James (Baba Ijesha) at the SCIID admitting to sexually assaulting the foster daughter comedienne, Damilola Adekoya alias Princess, was played.

“I harassed her, I touched her hand and I licked her hand,” Baba Ijesha said in the clip.

The police officer further testified that he was asked to take over the investigation of the case from a team due to complaints from Adekoya.“

I was asked to take over the matter from Team A because the complainant (Princess) had complained about the closeness between the defendant and members of Team A.“

After the conclusion of the investigation, I transferred the file to the Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice,” he said.

While being cross-examined by Babatunde Ogala, Kareem said he never visited the crime scene, adding that the other minor who also accused the defendant of defilement was brought to the police by Adekoya.

He said the statement of the defendant’s former landlord was recorded at the landlord’s residence and not at a police station.

He, however, said the statements recorded were taken to his superior, Margaret Ighodalo.

When asked to show where his superior countersigned the landlord’s statement as required by law, the witness said the landlord’s statement was not countersigned.

He further testified that a lawyer was not present when James (Baba Ijesha) made his initial statement to the police at the SCIID.

He added that James was not taken to Ikorodu to counter the other claim of defilement due to security reasons.“

The defendant was the one who asked his brother to take us to Ikorodu. We did not take him there because of security reasons; his name was all over the news on televisions and radios.

“He could have been hijacked from us; that is why we told him to nominate someone and he nominated his brother to go with us,” Kareem said.