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Baba Ijesha’s Release Is Not an Acquittal
The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, has refuted claims that Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James, commonly known as Baba Ijesha, was acquitted and relieved of all charges, including sexual offenses against a minor, by the Court of Appeal.
On November 14, actor Yomi Fabiyi asserted that Baba Ijesha was released from prison following a dismissal of his sexual abuse case by the Court of Appeal. He claimed that the appellate court had cleared Baba Ijesha and denounced the case as a mere charade.
In remarks to journalists in Lagos on Sunday, the Attorney-General labeled the circulating narrative as inaccurate, misleading, and irresponsible, cautioning that it misrepresents judicial facts and could mislead the public significantly.
“No such clearance occurred at any stage of the judicial process,” Pedro emphasized.
He confirmed that the Lagos State High Court convicted Baba Ijesha on July 14, 2022, for sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child related to incidents from 2021, sentencing him to five years and three years, to run concurrently.
Pedro clarified that while the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, on June 28, 2024, annulled convictions relating to purported offenses from 2013 to 2014, it maintained the conviction and sentence for the 2021 sexual assault charges.
“The conviction was fortified after a subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court was struck out on May 29, 2025, due to incompetence. A final request to file a fresh appeal was rejected on October 9, 2025, thereby leaving the Court of Appeal’s decision, which upheld the 2021 conviction, fully intact,” the AG stated.
Pedro clarified that Baba Ijesha’s release was simply due to the completion of his full prison sentence, as confirmed by the Court of Appeal, and not because of any acquittal.
“Mr. Olanrewaju James was not exonerated of the charges of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child,” the AG stressed.
He urged residents of Lagos and the general public to disregard these misleading claims and warned Fabiyi, as well as any platform disseminating this falsehood, to cease immediately.
Pedro cautioned that his office would not hesitate to pursue legal action against those publishing false information intended to incite fear or alarm, as per Section 39 of the Lagos Criminal Law, if the misinformation continues.
The Attorney-General reaffirmed the state’s commitment to safeguarding children, enforcing criminal convictions, and ensuring accurate representation of judicial outcomes in public discourse.
