Court grants Baba Ijesha N2m bail

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Sexual offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos, has admitted Nollywood actor, Omiyinka Olanrewaju also known as Baba Ijesha, to a N2 million bail. 

Baba Ijesha, who is being prosecuted by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, was charged with defilement of a minor.

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The Court held that one of the sureties must be a blood relation and must be resident in Lagos.

The court also held that the surety must provide evidence of income tax in the last three years.

The second surety must be a legal practitioner and shall swear to affidavit and be verified by the registrar of the court, the judge held.

The judge further ruled that the defendant be released to his lawyer, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Babatunde Ogala, pending perfection of his bail.

The defendant, who spoke in Yoruba language, pleaded not guilty to the six- count charge of indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault and attempted sexual assault by penetration contrary to Sections 135, 263 and 262 of the Criminal Law Ch C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 and sexual assault by penetration contrary to Sections 259 Criminal Law Ch C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, DPP. Mrs. Olayinka Adeyemi, urged Justice Taiwo to remand the defendant in correctional centre as she opposed application for bail by Ogala, SAN, who announced that 19 lawyers were in court to defend the suspect.

But the judge refused all the appearances, saying that only six lawyers should suffice in the matter.

Addressing the court, the team’s lead counsel said he had filed a bail application and had served same on the prosecuting team.

He urged the court to grant them audience to argue the bail application.

While opposing the bail, the state counsel said her team is yet to verify the medical report which the defence rely on for his bail consideration.

She argued, “One of the offences is sexual assault by penetration which carries life imprisonment and that is a very serious offence.

“Grant of bail, My Lord is not a constitutional right, it is a discretional thing.”

She added that the judge should be cautious of granting the defendant bail because of the nature of the crime.

“When a crime is rampant, the court should take judicial notice and be cautious in granting bail,” she noted citing a decided case decision of the Supreme Court in Ogbehemhe vs. Commissioner of Police, 2001.

The judge, however, queried the state prosecutor if the defendant had been granted bail.

But the state informed the judge that owing to the fact that the case had been filed before an high court, the case shouldn’t have gone through such process.

She insisted that the defendant might jump bail if not denied.

Some Nollywood actors such as Adedeji Aderemi known as Olofa Ina, Yomi Fabiyi, Damilola Adekoya Princess, and much more were seen discussing within the court premises.

Earlier on June 16, a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court had denied Baba Ijesha bail.