Popular Yoruba actor, Olanrewaju James a.k.a Baba Ijesha has been granted bail on Thursday. This comes after spending two months in police detention and the correctional facility, Kirikiri.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos granted Baba Ijesha bail in the sum of ₦2 million and two sureties in like sum.
The judge ruled that one of the sureties must be a legal practitioner. They must then enter a bond of ₦1 million deposited into the account of the court registrar.
The actor is embattled with sexual offenses. He was, however, arraigned on Thursday on a six-count charge bothering on sexual assault of a minor.
Baba Ijesha faced charges of sexual assault by penetration, indecent treatment of a child, and attempted sexual assault by penetration.
Two senior advocates of Nigeria and 18 junior counsels represented the actor in court.
Giving her ruling, Justice Taiwo said the actor is facing serious charges, and it is important for the defendant to stand trial.
The judge said bail is a constitutional right for defendants; the law presumes them innocent until proven guilty. “Granting him bail is to release him from the custody of the law and entrust him to appear in trial at specific times.
“The freedom is temporary in the sense that it lasts only for the period of trial. In the light of the following, the court grants the applicants bail on the following conditions:
- Bail-in sum of ₦2million and two sureties in like sum.
- One of the sureties must be a blood relation of the applicant with clear proof of this relationship. The surety must be resident in Lagos state and shall present evidence of having paid income tax in Lagos State in the last three years.
- The second surety shall be a legal practitioner. The surety shall present evidence of bar and shall swear an oath to an affidavit.
- The legal practitioner must have a residence and office address in Lagos and enter an additional monetary bond of ₦1 million, deposited to the chief registrar.
Justice Taiwo emphasised that social media opinions have no place in the case. This is because the matter is before a competent court of jurisdiction.