Yoruba film producer and actor, Olanrewaju James, a.k.a Baba Ijesha has appealed the 2022 judgement of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court, which convicted him for the sexual assault of a minor brought against him by his colleague, Damilola Adekoya popularly known as Princess.
The court had sentenced Baba Ijesha to five years imprisonment but on Tuesday, counsel to the actor, Kayode Olabiran approached the appeal court to challenge the jail term.
Olabiran told the appeal court that his client, who is an actor, was set up and that he acted according to a script that he was invited to act on by his colleague.
He said: “The charge itself is centered on defilement of a minor but the prosecution couldn’t prove the age of the victim.
“(PW1) Damilola Adekoya, asked the appellant to come and act on a script. It is in the statement of PW1, at Panti Police Station, unknowingly to the appellant there was a CCTV in the sitting room.
Yoruba Nollywood Actor, Baba Ijesha Appeals Sexual Assault Offence, Says He Was Acting
“Whatever we watched in that movie was a script by the producer and the video of the scene of the acting was tendered by the prosecution.
“Based on his confessional statement as at the day of the arrest, he was under duress and there were so many people who were beating him that was when he confessed to the offence,”
The Director of Public Prosecution, Dr Babajide Martins, however urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit and also a misconception.
He urged the court to affirm the judgment of the lower court.
Marrins said: “At the time she (victim) gave evidence in 2021, she was 17 years old, which still makes her a child.”
Recall that Baba Ijesa was found guilty and sentenced to a five-year jail term, on July 14, 2022.
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