Fatimah Otunsanya
The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, has debunked reports claiming that actor Olanrewaju James, known as Baba Ijesha, was freed after being cleared by the Court of Appeal, describing the circulating narrative as “false, misleading and irresponsible.”
Speaking to journalists in Lagos yesterday, Pedro said his office was alarmed by a social media post authored by actor Yomi Fabiyi and later reproduced in an online publication, which alleged that the appellate court had exonerated Baba Ijesha of all charges, including sexual offences involving a minor.
He stressed that such statements were a complete distortion of the judicial record and capable of misleading the public. Pedro explained that the clarification became necessary following Fabiyi’s claims that the Court of Appeal “cleared” the convict of ever defiling a minor and that the entire case was a “charade.”The Attorney-General said no such clearance occurred at any stage of the judicial process.
He outlined the full litigation history, noting that the High Court of Lagos State, on July 14, 2022, convicted Baba Ijesha for sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child over incidents that occurred in 2021, sentencing him to five years and three years respectively, to run concurrently.
He said: “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 noted that Baba Ijesha pursued a further appeal to the Supreme Court, but the apex court struck out the appeal on May 29, 2025.
On grounds of incompetence.
A subsequent motion for leave to file a fresh appeal was dismissed on October 9, 2025, thereby leaving the Court of Appeal judgment fully intact. He emphasised that the convict’s release was strictly because he had completed his full term of imprisonment as affirmed by the Court of Appeal.
Not because he was discharged or acquitted.
Mr. Olanrewaju James was not cleared of the offences of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child,” Pedro stated, warning that Fabiyi’s assertions were wholly untrue and capable of alarming the public.
He urged Lagos residents and the wider public to disregard the circulating claims and cautioned Fabiyi, including any platform amplifying the falsehood, to desist immediately.
According to him, the Office of the Attorney-General will not hesitate to initiate criminal proceedings for publication of false news with intent to cause fear or alarm, an offence under Section 39 of the Lagos Criminal Law, should the misinformation persist.
Pedro reiterated the state’s commitment to protecting children, enforcing criminal convictions, and ensuring that judicial outcomes are accurately represented in the public domain.