The trial of Olanrewaju Omiyinka, aka Baba Ijesha, an embattled Nigerian actor, started Wednesday before a Yaba Magistrate Court over alleged sexual assault of a minor even as the accused actor was denied bail.
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Baba Ijesha was nabbed and detained by the Lagos State police after he was alleged to have sexually molested a 14-year-old girl.
He was later granted administrative bail on May 17 by magistrates in charge of prison decongestion, after spending 26 days in police detention. But he has remained in police custody despite the bail.
When the case came up yesterday, his lawyer- Kayode Olabiran, asked the court to release his client, citing his deteriorating health.
The controversial nature of the case, according to him, has made it difficult to secure his release despite his bail as intending sureties were scared of the likely consequences.
But in his ruling, Magistrate P. E Nwaka, held that the court cannot grant the actor bail because the alleged offence is beyond its jurisdiction, adding that the case has already been filed before the high court.
Also speaking, Yetunde Cardoso, the superintendent of police in charge of the case, said the matter is now beyond the police.
