Speaking to journalists in Lagos on Sunday, Pedro described the narrative—alleging the appellate court exonerated Baba Ijesha of sexual offences involving a minor—as “false, misleading and irresponsible.

The Attorney-General stated that his office was alerted by a social media post by actor Yomi Fabiyi, which was subsequently reproduced by an online publication. The post claimed the Court of Appeal had “cleared” the convict of ever defiling a minor and that the entire case was a “charade.”

Pedro stressed that these statements represent a complete distortion of the judicial record and are capable of severely misleading the public. He emphasized that no such clearance occurred at any stage of the judicial process. 

Baba Ijesha was convicted by the High Court of Lagos State for sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child concerning incidents that occurred in 2021. He was sentenced to five years and three years respectively, to run concurrently.

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, delivered judgment on his appeal. While the court set aside convictions related to alleged offences from 2013–2014, it upheld the conviction and sentence for the 2021 sexual assault charges.

Baba Ijesha pursued a further appeal to the Supreme Court, which was struck out on May 29, 2025, on grounds of incompetence.

A subsequent motion for leave to file a fresh appeal was also dismissed on October 9, 2025, leaving the Court of Appeal judgment fully intact.

Pedro emphatically clarified that the convict’s recent release was solely because he had completed his full term of imprisonment as affirmed by the Court of Appeal—it was not because he was discharged or acquitted.

“Mr. Olanrewaju James was not cleared of the offences of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child,” Pedro stated.

He urged Lagos residents and the wider public to disregard the false claims and cautioned Fabiyi, along with any platform amplifying the falsehood, to desist immediately.

The Attorney-General warned that his office would not hesitate to initiate criminal proceedings for the publication of false news with intent to cause fear or alarm, an offence under Section 39 of the Lagos Criminal Law, should the misinformation persist.

Ajayi-Kayode is the Executive Director of the Cece Yara Foundation, a non-governmental organisation founded to prevent child sexual abuse and provide emergency intervention for children.

The witness who told the court that she is a certified child forensic interview specialist said she led the forensic team that interviewed the alleged victim of Baba Ijesha’s consecutive sexual assaults.

Led in evidence by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, the expert testified that the alleged victim (names withheld) was bold, relaxed, cooperative and could recall events when she was being interviewed.

“The clinical presentation of child sexual abuse was quite evident. The perpetrator engaged the child in sexual activity when she was seven years old on two occasions, she said.

“On the 19th of April 2021, he sexually harassed her, touching her body. He told her: ‘I touched you some years back, you are so grown, so developed. Do you have a boyfriend? We have some unfinished business.

“These are the clinical presentations of child sexual abuse.

“These are the dynamics of child sexual abuse and the modus operandi of perpetrators – inculcation of secrecy, intimidation, threat or coercion,” she said.

The expert also said that child sexual abuse involved only the victim and the perpetrator, adding that because of his or her vulnerability, a child might not be able to comprehend the magnitude of the offence.

“My conclusion is that she narrated the whole truth, she was tenacious, she was bold and relaxed,” the expert said.

Ajayi-Kayode said that after the interview, she drafted a forensic interview report which was tendered in evidence along with a flash drive containing the digital recording of the interview session (which is to be viewed at the next court hearing)

The court admitted both documents as exhibits and fixed Oct 20 for the cross-examination of the witness.

Before her testimony, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo overruled the request for adjournment made by a member of the defence team representing Baba Ijesha.

The defence sought the adjournment owing to the absence of two senior advocates – Babatunde Ogala and Dada Awosika, who appeared for the Nollywood actor at previous proceedings.

Both lawyers had written to the court, asking for an adjournment on account of being indisposed and out of the country.

But the DPP who represented the state opposed the application for adjournment.

She submitted that the date of this sitting had been communicated to all counsel since August 19 and there was no basis for an adjournment.

Justice Taiwo agreed with her and ruled that the case must continue. She ordered the state to call its third prosecution witness.

On the 24th of June, Baba Ijesha was arraigned before the court on a 6-count charge of attempted sexual assault, sexual assault of a minor and indecent treatment of a child.

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

“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 charge sheet read.

“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.

“He also attempted to have sexual intercourse with the complainant by unbuckling his belt and unzipping his trousers after sexually assaulting her,” the DPP told the court.

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

Baba Ijesha pleaded not guilty to the 6-count charge and was granted bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties.

At the last sitting of the court on August 11th, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo had admitted in evidence of two videotapes tendered by the prosecution through comedian, Adekola Adekanye also known as Princess. The tapes allegedly contained clips of the defendant molesting the victim.

The 14-year-old victim (name withheld), had also given her testimony behind closed doors because of the law protecting minors from undue public exposure.

The alleged victim (name withheld), gave her testimony behind closed doors because of the law protecting minors from undue public exposure.

Before she was brought before the court the judge had ordered journalists and other members of the public who were not involved in the case to go out of the courtroom.

Before her testimony, the lead defence counsel, Snr Advocate of Nigeria, Babatunde Ogala cross-examined comedian, Princes Ademola Adekanye who testified as to the first prosecution witness yesterday.

Under cross-examination, Princess told the court that contrary to public perception that the allegation against Baba Ijesha is a set-up, she said she baited him with a “script conference” because she had a plan to confront him.

She also denied that she set up her child to be molested by her colleague.

According to her, she had to change the victim’s school more than three times when she discovered that the minor was not paying attention to her studies after the alleged rape incident.

When asked if she sought professional help for the child, Princess said she sought spiritual help instead.

Princess also testified that the victim was again molested in her house by a neighbour.

At this point, the defence counsel confronted Princess with a report she had made at the police station accusing one of her neighbours Damola Adekola of sexually harassing her daughter.

The defence team also confronted Princess with an allegation she had made against her gateman accusing him of exposing himself indecently to her daughter.

The cross-examination revealed that even though the incident with the neighbour happened in Dec 2020, Princess did not formally report the matter to the police until April 20, 2021.

The trial judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo has adjourned the matter to August 11 for the continuation of the trial.

The actor was arraigned before the court by the Lagos State government on a six-count charge of indecent treatment of a child, defilement of a Child, sexual assault by penetration, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Source: Channels tv

Iya Rainbow said she did everything ‘humanly possible’ to get Princess not to escalate Baba Ijesha’s alleged rape case but she did not succumb.

A veteran Yoruba actress, Idowu Phillips, popularly known as Iya Rainbow, has narrated how comedienne Princess, refused to listen to her pleas to drop the alleged rape case she filed against her colleague Olanrewaju Omiyinka aka Baba Ijesha.