Baba Ijesha Was Not Acquitted, Released After Serving Jail Term – Lagos AG Lawal Pedro

Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, has clarified that actor Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, was not released due to an acquittal by the Court of Appeal.

Pedro described claims suggesting otherwise as “false, misleading and irresponsible.” He said the confusion began after actor Yomi Fabiyi posted online that the appellate court had cleared Baba Ijesha of all charges, including sexual offences involving a minor—a claim that was later shared by an online platform.

“No such clearance occurred at any stage of the judicial process,” Pedro emphasized, warning that the statements distorted court records and could mislead the public.

He outlined the legal timeline, noting that on July 14, 2022, the Lagos High Court convicted Baba Ijesha of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child for incidents that occurred in 2021, sentencing him to five and three years, to run concurrently.

“On June 28, 2024, the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, delivered judgment on his appeal. While the court set aside convictions relating to alleged offences from 2013–2014, it upheld the conviction and sentence for the 2021 sexual assault charges,” Pedro said.

He further explained that Baba Ijesha’s appeal to the Supreme Court was struck out on May 29, 2025, for incompetence, and a subsequent motion to file a fresh appeal was dismissed on October 9, 2025, leaving the Appeal Court judgment intact.

Pedro stressed that Baba Ijesha was released solely because he completed his jail term, reiterating, “Mr. Olanrewaju James was not cleared.”

The Attorney-General warned Fabiyi and any platform spreading the false narrative to desist, noting that the state could initiate criminal proceedings under Section 39 of the Lagos Criminal Law for publishing false news.