Baba Ijesha jailed 16 years over sexual assault

An Ikeja special offences court in Lagos has sentenced Baba Ijesha, the embattled actor, to 16 years in prison for sexual assault involving a minor.

The Yoruba actor has been in a protracted legal battle after he was said to have sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl.

On Thursday, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, the judge presiding over the case, convicted Baba Ijesha of indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, and attempted sexual assault in a two-hour judgment.

Taiwo, however, discharged and acquitted him of count one and count six, which were: sexual assault by penetration and attempted sexual assault by penetration.

The case was then stood down for a few minutes before the judge handed the sentence to the embattled actor.

Taiwo added that the jail term will run concurrently.

Baba Ijesha was arraigned on June 24, 2021. During the trial, six prosecution witnesses testified against him.

They are Princess, the 14-year-old minor, Olabisi Ajayi-Kayode, a child expert; Aniekan Makanjuola, a medical doctor; Wahab Kareem, the investigating police officer; and Abigail Omane, a policewoman.

Prior to the court verdict, he was facing a six-count charge of indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault by penetration.

The charges were proffered against him by the Lagos state directorate of public prosecutions (DPP).

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