Police deny plan to release Baba Ijesha

The Lagos State police boss, Hakeem Odumosu, yesterday, said the police were yet to release a Nollywood actor, James Olanrewaju, known as Baba Ijesha, who is in their custody for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old girl.

Odumosu said this yesterday at the command headquarters, Ikeja, when he paraded suspected criminals.

According to him, the suspect is still in police custody pending advice from the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) on the matter before further decisions would be taken.
He said: “We have to make some clarifications about the aspect of defilement and indecent assaults. It was true the victim was defiled seven years ago, but the present case at hand is that she was sexually assaulted.

He said: “The Baba Ijesha case was in two aspects. One, he was alleged seven years ago of defiling the girl, now she is 14 years old. As at the time seven years ago, no complaint was made, but now a video was seen where he was sexually assaulting the girl.

“When a man touches a woman where he is not supposed to, it is indecent assault to which the suspect admitted that he assaulted the girl, without her consent, which is an offence in law. But the case of defilement added to it is still under investigation.”

He further said that sexual assault could be bailed; it is not like rape.

“We have compiled the case and sent it to DPP and the office of the Ministry of Justice for their legal advice. Once that is out, action would be taken immediately. But for now, I want to tell you categorically that he is still in our custody. The case is bailable, but we would not consider him for bail.”