Actor Yomi Fabiyi has maintained his support for his embattled colleague, Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, amidst ongoing legal proceedings surrounding allegations of sexual assault against a minor.
In July 2022, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court sentenced Baba Ijesha to 16 years imprisonment following his conviction.
He was convicted on four of the six-count charges — indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault by penetration.
In a recent update on the case, Fabiyi asserted that there is no evidence suggesting that Baba Ijesha engaged in sexual activity with the girl, which he claimed was the reason why the judge did not sentence him to life imprisonment.
Fabiyi, speaking in a recent interview on Lagelu FM, Ibadan, Oyo State, stated that Baba Ijesha’s appeal process is still in progress in court.
He reiterated that popular comedienne, Adekola Adekanya, also known as Princess, had invited Baba Ijesha to shoot a skit.
“Baba Ijesha’s appeal process is still ongoing in court. There was no evidence that he slept with the girl; that was why the judge didn’t sentence him to life imprisonment,” he said in Yoruba
He also mentioned that the aspect currently under consideration in the Appeal Court is that the individual who allegedly had sexual relations with the girl is currently walking free.
“He was called by Princess to shoot a skit, and the girl also said in court that she was called to shoot a skit.
“Why was the person who actually slept with the girl, whose sperm was found on her, asked to walk away free? Because they were caught together,” he added.
Fabiyi alleged that a man was accused by the victim of having slept with her.
He claimed that the man not only faced accusations but also confessed to them and was subsequently arrested.
He expressed confusion as to why the man was walking free while Baba Ijesha was imprisoned.
He also alleged that the victim was not a minor.
“The girl’s age is not 14. They never provided her birth certificate. We are waiting for the appeal court judgment,” he said.
Fabiyi has remained a staunch advocate for Baba Ijesha since his conviction.
A closed-circuit television footage which went viral in 2021 showed Baba Ijesha engaging in inappropriate behaviour, including kissing and fondling the victim, who was under the care of Princess.
The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions, responsible for bringing charges against the actor, argued that his actions violated various sections of the Lagos State Criminal Law 2015, including Sections 135, 137, 261, 202, 262, and 263, which carry potential life imprisonment penalties.
Baba Ijesha pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
In delivering the judgment, Justice Taiwo stated that the prosecution did not sufficiently prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty of all the charges brought against him.
However, she found the defendant guilty on four of the six counts
Baba Ijesha was convicted on counts two, three, four, and five.
Recently, in April 2024, Baba Ijesha asked the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, to set aside his conviction.
