17/11/2025
Headline: Lagos State Denies Baba Ijesha Was Cleared of Sexual Assault — He Was Released After Serving Full Sentence
Story:
The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), has forcefully denied claims that Nollywood actor Olanrewaju “Baba Ijesha” James was exonerated by the Court of Appeal of sexual assault charges involving a minor. These rumors stemmed from a social media post by actor Yomi Fabiyi, which suggested that the Court of Appeal overturned all convictions and cleared Baba Ijesha of wrongdoing.
Pedro called the narrative “false, misleading and irresponsible,” saying it distorts the official judicial record. He clarified that while the Court of Appeal did set aside some convictions related to offences from 2013–2014, it upheld Baba Ijesha’s convictions for sexual assault tied to a 2021 incident.
Here’s a simplified timeline of what actually happened:
July 14, 2022: A Lagos High Court found Baba Ijesha guilty of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child, sentencing him to 5 years and 3 years, concurrently.
June 28, 2024: The Court of Appeal reviewed his appeal. It quashed some charges related to earlier alleged offences (2013–2014), but maintained the conviction and prison terms for the 2021 assault.
May 29, 2025: The Supreme Court struck out his final appeal because it was improperly filed.
October 9, 2025: A motion to file a fresh appeal was dismissed, which means the Court of Appeal’s judgment stands as final.
Pedro emphasized that Baba Ijesha’s release from prison was not due to being cleared. Instead, he was freed simply because he completed the jail term affirmed by the courts.
He warned that continuing to spread misinformation about the case could lead to criminal prosecution under Lagos State’s laws on false reporting (Section 39), calling such distortions “capable of severely misleading the public.”
Finally, the AG reaffirmed the Lagos government’s commitment to child protection, upholding criminal convictions, and ensuring accurate public understanding of judicial outcomes.