Appeal court upholds conviction of Baba Ijesha

By Onjefu Onjefu

The court of Appeal sitting in Lagos has affirmed the decision of the Lagos High Court which sentenced Olanrewaju James AKA Baba Ijesha to 5 years imprisonment for indecent treatment of a child and a further 3 years imprisonment for sexual assault.

The two sentences are to run concurrently.

In a judgement delivered by Justice Folashade Ojo, the appellate court found Baba Ijesha guilty of charges of indecently touching a minor and sexually assaulting her.

Justices Abdullahi Bayero and Paul Bassi who made up the panel, aligned themselves with the lead judgement.

It will be recalled that the Lagos State Government in 2022 arraigned Baba Ijesha on a six-count charge bordering on the indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by penetration.

Subsequently, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo (rtd) of the Lagos State Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court who was the trial judge, on July 14, 2022, sentenced Baba Ijesha to five years imprisonment over the sexual assault of the minor.

Baba Ijesha, dissatisfied with the judgement, had through his counsel Kayode Olabiran approached the court of appeal to set aside his conviction and sentence.