Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria and 17 other lawyers, on Thursday, appeared at the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja to argue the child molestation case involving embattled Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, aka Baba Ijesha.
Dada Awosika, SAN; and Babatunde Ogala, SAN, announced their appearance before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo during Thursday’s proceedings while the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, Olayinka Adeyemi and four other prosecutors appeared for the state.
Baba Ijesha, who wore a white hooded jacket and a mask, arrived in court in a Black Maria.
Also in court were popular comedienne, Adekola Adekanya, otherwise called Princess; Baba Ijesha’s colleague, Yomi Fabiyi; as well as other interested parties in the matter.
Baba Ijesha was charged with indecent treatment of a child, defilement of a child, sexual assault by penetration, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault, which contravene sections 135, 137, 261, 202, 262 and 263 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Awosika, Ogala and the other counsels for Baba Ijesha pressed for the actor’s bail on health grounds but the prosecution opposed it.
Baba Ijesha has been in the eye of the storm since April 22, 2021, when the Lagos State Police Command announced his arrest for allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the care of Princess.
On May 17, 2021, Baba Ijesha was granted bail by magistrates and judicial workers on tour to decongest prisons in the state during the industrial action by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria.
However, Baba Ijesha could not meet the bail conditions which include N500,000 and a level 16 civil servant as surety.
Omiyinka was subsequently arraigned before the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Yaba last Wednesday on charges bordering on rape, sexual assault and abuse of a minor.
Upon his arraignment before the magistrates’ court, Omiyinka’s lawyer, Kayode Olabiran, made a fresh application for his bail, but Magistrate Peter Nwaka refused the application on the grounds that the Lagos State Ministry of Justice had filed charges before a high court.
However, Justice Taiwo, on Thursday, granted Baba Ijesha bail after the actor’s counsels proved the need for the actor to receive medical attention. The judge said the conditions of the bail must be met within seven days.
Justice Danladi Yakubu Umar, the embattled Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), has quietly withdrawn his lawsuit challenging the controversial appointment of Dr. Mainasara Umar Kogo as his successor—an appointment made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in alleged violation of constitutional procedures.
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A video recording of Nnamdi Kanu’s interrogation by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been played in court in his ongoing trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
