In the appeal filed by actor Olanrewaju James, also known as Baba Ijesha, appealing his conviction by a State High Court for the sexual assault of a juvenile, the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal has deferred its decision.
On July 12, 2022, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo (retd.) of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court, convicted the Yoruba Nollywood actor to five years imprisonment over the sexual assault of a minor.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, Baba Ijesha approached the Appeal Court to challenge the term.
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At the hearing of the appeal on Tuesday, Baba Ijesha’s counsel Olabiran told the court that the appeal was filed on June 1, 2023.
He argued that the prosecution did not prove that Baba Ijesha sexually assaulted the victim.
Olabiran urged the court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgment of the lower court.
In his response, the DPP, Dr Babajide Martins asked the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.
Dr Martins also urged the court to affirm the judgment of the lower court.
On the age of the victim, Dr. Martins submitted that the victim said she was born on October 6, 2006, which puts her age at 14, in 2013 when the offence was committed.
”At the time she gave evidence in 2021, she was 17 years old, which still makes her a child,” he said.
After listening to the parties, the court reserved its judgment till a later date.