Nollywood actor Olanrewaju
Omiyinka, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, has regained his freedom following a
ruling by the Court of Appeal, according to fellow actor and human rights
advocate Yomi Fabiyi.
Fabiyi announced the development
on his Instagram page on Friday, stating that the appellate court had cleared
the actor of allegations relating to the defilement of a minor. Baba Ijesha had
been in custody since his 2021 arrest, a case that generated widespread public
interest and heated debate across the entertainment industry.
In his celebratory post, Fabiyi
wrote:
“You are now officially FREE AND
OUT. Baba Ijesha is not just back but BETTER. I am also happy you were cleared
by the APPEAL COURT of ever having sex/defile any child/minor.”
He described the matter, which
dates back seven years, as “a charade”, claiming that public sentiment
overshadowed legal reasoning during the proceedings.
In his statement, Fabiyi made
several serious allegations against individuals connected to the original case,
including comedian Princess, her neighbour Damola Adekola, and others.
These allegations have not been
independently verified, and none of the individuals mentioned had responded
publicly at the time of publication.
According to Fabiyi:
Those who organised the sting
operation that led to Baba Ijesha’s arrest allegedly engaged in age
falsification, insisting there was no conclusive proof that the girl involved
was 14.
A neighbour identified as Damola
Adekola, initially arrested alongside Baba Ijesha, allegedly admitted to having
a sexual relationship with the girl but was later released.
Princess allegedly failed in her
duty of care, with Fabiyi claiming medical tests showed sperm found on the
minor did not match Baba Ijesha.
The comedian and her associates
allegedly produced child pornography by installing cameras to record the
encounter.
The minor was allegedly subjected
to repeated emotional trauma in the pursuit of evidence.
Fabiyi reiterated that his human
rights organisation does not support sexual abuse of any kind, but would
continue to oppose what he described as “selective justice and organised
crime.”
Baba Ijesha was arrested and
prosecuted in 2021 after he was accused by Princess of sexually assaulting her
foster daughter. The case drew national attention, dividing public opinion and
sparking strong reactions within Nollywood.
While a lower court convicted him
on some charges, Fabiyi maintains that the Court of Appeal has now discharged
and acquitted the actor. As of the time of filing this report, official court
documents confirming the ruling had not been released publicly, and the Lagos
State authorities had yet to comment.
Attempts to obtain reactions from
Princess and other individuals named in Fabiyi’s post were unsuccessful.
Further updates are expected as official clarifications emerge.
#BabaIjesha
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