A Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, on Thursday, has granted bail to the embattled Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, popularly known as Baba Ijesha.
Baba Ijesha who is being tried over charges bothering on rape, sexual assault and abuse of a minor by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, pleaded not guilty to charges when he appeared before the presiding judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo.
Baba Ijesha’s legal team was led by two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Babatunde Ogala and Mr. Dada Awosika, alongside 17 other lawyers, who were present at the court proceedings on Thursday.
Ogala, in his debate, urged the court to grant his client a bail application.
Following the debate by the Baba Ijesha’s legal team and the state counsel, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, the presiding judge granted the embattled actor a bail application of N2 million with two sureties.
One of the sureties must be a blood relation who is residing in Lagos State, and must have a tax clearance certificate of three years preceding today. Such relation must also make a monetary bond of N1 million to the Chief Registrar of the court.
The other surety must be a legal practitioner whose call to bar certificate must be verified by the court.
The court also gave Baba Ijesha a seven-day ultimatum to perfect the bail.
Justice Taiwo adjourned the case to the 26th, 27th, and 28th of July for the prosecution to open its case against the defendant.
Baba Ijesha has been in police custody since April 22, 2021, over allegetions that he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl in the care of popular comedienne, Adekola Adekanya, otherwise called Princess.
Baba Ijesha was arrested by the Lagos Police Command after he was seen in a CCTV footage allegedly abusing a 14-year-old girl. It was also alleged that the actor had abused the girl seven years ago.
