Why Nollywood Actor, Baba Ijesha Was Finally Granted Bail

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Barely three days after the Lagos State Police Command stated that Nollywood actor, James Olarewaju, cannot be granted bail after the DPP found him culpable for sexual assault by penetration, the Judiciary has over ruled the Police.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Chief Magistrate, Oluwatoyin Oghre, on Monday, granted N500, 000 bail to detained Baba Ijesha for alleged sexual assault.

This was confirmed by his counsel, Barrister, Adesina Ogunlana, who said that his client, Baba Ijesha, was granted bail by Chief Magistrate Oghre in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties.

Ogunlana explained that Baba Ijesha was granted bail by Chief Magistrate Oghre, who was on a visit to the Police Command under the prisons and detention centre decongestion programme.

The terms of the bail included two reliable sureties – a blood relation and a level 10 civil servant. 

Baba Ijesha was arrested on 22nd April 2021, for allegedly sexually molesting a minor and remained in Police detention due to the ongoing strike embarked on by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN.

In a legal advice to the Police on the matter, Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, had on May 4, noted that after due consideration of the case file forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecution, DPP, by the Police on April 30, 2021, a prima facie case was established against Baba Ijesha.

Onigbanjo stated that Baba Ijesha would be charged with sexual assault and defilement under the provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The AG also hinted that the suspect would be charged under Section 135, indecent treatment of a child punishable by 7 years imprisonment; Section 137, defilement of a child-, punishable by life imprisonment; Section 261, Sexual Assault by penetration punishable by life imprisonment; Section 262, Attempted Sexual Assault by Penetration, punishable by 14 years imprisonment and Section 263, Sexual Assault punishable by three years imprisonment.

However, granting Baba Ijesha bail does not foreclose his arraignment in Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment if he is tried and found guilty before the Court.