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Baba Ijesha risks life imprisonment as Lagos moves to file charges
By Modupe Shodeinde
As the Lagos State government moves in to charge Baba Ijesha, for sexual assault by penetration, among other crimes, the Nollywood actor could be sentenced to life imprisonment.
As reported by The Cable, the state commissioner for justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, who is also the state attorney-general, has said the state’s directorate of public prosecutions has recommended five charges against him “after due consideration of the facts in the case file.”
She also disclosed that the movie star would be charged under the criminal law of Lagos state.
Onigbanjo in a statement released on Tuesday, said, “It would be recalled that the Nigeria Police Force arrested Mr. Olanrewaju James (also referred to as Baba Ijesha) on account of various sexual abuse allegations. On the 30th of April, 2021, the Police forwarded the case file of COP v Olanrewaju James to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advise,”
“After due consideration of the facts in the case file, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions issued legal advise on the 4th of May, 2021, which is to the effect that a prima facie case has been disclosed against Mr. Olanrewaju James and recommended he be charged under the following provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015:
“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 3 years imprisonment.
“Whilst the State would ensure that Mr. Olanrewaju James’s rights as enshrined in the Constitution are upheld, the Ministry of Justice would not relent in its efforts in ensuring that whoever sexually abuses any resident of Lagos State is speedily brought to book.
