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Popular actor Olanrewaju James, A.K.A Baba Ijesha, has completed one year of his 16-year prison sentence in jail.
The comic actor was convicted of child defilement and was remanded at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre in Kirikiri, Lagos State.
On July 14, 2022, Baba Ijesha was found guilty on four of the six-count charges pressed against him, which included indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault by penetration.
The actor's arrest took place on April 22, 2021, and he made his first court appearance before Magistrate P.E. Nwaka of the Yaba Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos, on July 16, 2021.
Subsequently, he was arraigned at the Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, where Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo delivered the verdict. She declared, "I hereby find the defendant guilty of counts two to five, and he is discharged of counts one and six.
The defendant is hereby sentenced to five years imprisonment for count two, three years for count three, five years for count four, and three years for count five."
The case stirred significant attention and controversies, leading to a division within the entertainment industry.
Some celebrities offered their support to comedian Princess Adekoya, whose ward was the victim of the defilement, while others empathized with Baba Ijesha. Supporters like Yomi Fabiyi, Bukky Black, and Lege Miami maintained that the actor was "ambushed" into the crime.
Conversely, actresses Iyabo Ojo and Nkechi Blessing strongly supported Princess during the trial.
In a recent interview with The Punch, Yomi Fabiyi discussed his interactions with Baba Ijesha since his imprisonment. Fabiyi, who runs a non-governmental organization, explained that they conducted thown investigation and felt the need to give the actor a voice, as they believed he was "ambushed into that misfortune." He stated that there were unanswered questions at the end of the trial, prompting them to appeal the verdict.
Despite not being in Baba Ijesha's shoes, Fabiyi has been in constant communication with him during his time in prison, offering support to keep his spirits high and prevent any thoughts of suicide or vengeance.
Baba Ijesha is troubled by the fact that the age of the girl involved was not proven with a birth certificate, and the lack of certain factors before the guilty verdict was passed has caused him great mental agony, according to Fabiyi.
Throughout the trial, Baba Ijesha appeared visibly morose and dejected in court. On one occasion, he was seen holding a Christian book titled "How to Thrive in Perilous Times: Living Beyond the World System" by Happy Caldwell.
