Information reaching us at the moment has it that Nollywood Yoruba actor, Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha is now set to be released from police custody after he was arrested for allegedly raping a 14year old girl since she was 7years old.
We were told the release is due to the ongoing strike by members of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, which has made it impossible for the courts to sit.
According to sources, a senior police officer in Lagos State revealed that a directive has been issued to release him within the next 24 hours as the suspect could not be detained indefinitely without trial.
The source said; “There was no case of defilement, people are just talking out of sentiment. They are not talking from the point of law. We interviewed all parties involved in the case for three hours on Wednesday.”
“The mother complained that her child was at the age of seven when she was defiled and the child pointed at Baba Ijesha. But the case was not reported until she was 14 years and under the law, the case has become statute-barred.”
“Regarding this new case, the CCTV footage has been assessed and nowhere was it captured that Baba Ijesha defiled her. The footage only showed him touching the victim’s body but it never showed him having any sexual intercourse with the girl.”
“The girl also confirmed the same thing. So, in law, it is a case of indecent assault and not sexual harassment, and it is open to bail. So, can we continue to keep him when the offence is subject to bail and when there is no court sitting?”
“That is against his fundamental human rights and the police do not work on sentiments. Directives have been given out for his release on bail.”
