The Lagos State
Police Command has confirmed Nollywood actor, Baba Ijesha who arrested for
an alleged defilement may be released on Bail on Friday
The source said due to the ongoing strike by members of the Judicial
Staff Union of Nigeria, courts had ceased from sitting and the suspect could
not be detained indefinitely without trial.
The release, based on
the investigations so far revealed that Baba Ijesha real name Olarenwaju
James did not defile the victim, adding that she confirmed the same when
questioned by police.
A senior police officer had said that there was no case of defilement and people are just talking out of sentiment. They are not talking from the point of law.
He also pointed that the
mother complained that her child was seven when she was defiled but the case
was not reported until she was 14 years and under the law, the case has become
statute-barred.
Regarding this new case, the
CCTV footage evidence has been assessed and nowhere was it captured that Baba
Ijesha defiled her. The footage only showed him touching the victim’s body but
it never showed him having any sexual intercourse with the girl.
He further stressed that in
law, this is a case of “indecent assault and not sexual harassment", and
it is open to bail. Moreso that the courts are not sitting and it will be
against his fundamental human rights to keep him in custody over a bailable
offence Directives have been given out for his release on bail.
The source, however, said that despite granting Baba Ijesha bail, the investigation would continue, adding that the command had also sought legal opinion from the state Ministry of Justice.
SOURCE: Punch Online