Court dashes hope of convicted Nollywood star, Baba Ijesha

The hope of Nollywood star, James Olanrewaju aka Baba Ijesha getting a bail after he was convicted for indecent assault on a minor was dashed on Wednesday when a Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, rejected its application.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo had on July 14 sentenced the actor to 16 years imprisonment for indecent assault.

However, the sentences are to run concurrently.

Baba Ijesha’s counsel, Gabriel Olabiran, had on August 10 informed the court that a notice for bail pending appeal has been submitted in pursuant to Section 6 (6) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and Section 51 of the High Court law of Lagos State, administration of criminal justice law.

Olabiran argued that the application admitted the applicant to bail, either unconditionally or upon reasonable conditions.

He stressed that the application was brought before the court due to difficulty in getting a date at the Court of Appeal.

In a counter affidavit dated August 18, 2022, the state prosecutor, Yusuf Sule, argued that the defence failed to establish the special circumstances for which the convict should be granted bail.

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“My lord, the defence has failed woefully in addressing the special circumstances which can be used to grant the convict bail,” he stated.

At Wednesday’s proceeding, Justice Taiwo rejected the bail application because the convict did not meet exceptional circumstances and criteria to warrant the bail.

She said: “The applicant must show special and exceptional circumstances because the term given to him is five years which is to run concurrently.

“There is no evidence that the appeal has been entered and there is no indication before this court that the court will not treat the case expeditiously.

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“It is in the view of this court that the applicant has failed to show special circumstances to warrant him bail because he is facing a serious crime. In view of this case, I am inclined to refuse the bail application of the applicants pending appeal.”