Lagos govt closes case against Nollywood actor, Baba Ijesha
The Lagos State government on Wednesday closed its case against Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, aka Baba Ijesha, who is standing trial for alleged child molestation.
The state’s Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. Olayinka Adeyemi, disclosed this after the cross-examination of the sixth prosecution witness by the defence team.
She said: “The prosecution has closed its case against the defendant.”
Following the DPP’s statement, the defence counsel, Kayode Olabiran, told the court the defendant would file a no-case submission.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo accepted the actor’s confessional statement to the police as evidence.
She ruled that there was no evidence before the court to prove that the defendant was tortured into making the statement to the police.
The judge said: “Sitting on the floor does not vitiate the confessional statement. The statement is found to be relevant and admissible.
“We will take the no-case submission in the New Year; the court is rounding up.”
The state government arraigned the Nollywood star on charges of indecent treatment of a child, defilement of a child, sexual assault by penetration, attempted sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault.
He was charged for alleged sexual assault on the daughter of a comedienne, Princess, in 2013.