Baba Ijesha: Exonerated by the Court of Appeal or Simply Released After Serving His Term? Facts, Law, and Child-Safeguarding Clarifications
A renewed wave of controversy has swept across Nigeria following online claims that Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James Omiyinka, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, was “exonerated” by the Court of Appeal. The debate quickly spiraled into confusion, with many Nigerians unsure whether he was cleared of all charges or whether he simply completed his custodial term and was released in line with correctional protocols.
A detailed examination of the judicial record, criminal procedure, and the official position of the Lagos State Government reveals the truth.
BACKGROUND: THE ORIGINAL TRIAL AND CONVICTION
In July 2022, the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja convicted Baba Ijesha on multiple counts, including:
- Indecent treatment of a child
- Sexual assault
- Attempted sexual assault
He was acquitted on counts requiring proof of penetration but sentenced to a total term of 16 years (to run concurrently as 5 years).
The conviction stemmed from evidence, video recordings, and witness testimony presented before the court.
THE APPEAL: WHAT THE COURT OF APPEAL ACTUALLY DID
Contrary to viral claims, the Court of Appeal did not issue a full acquittal.
A careful review of legal commentary, court summaries, and the Lagos State Government’s position shows:
- Some convictions were set aside, based on technical or procedural grounds.
- Other convictions were upheld, meaning the actor remained lawfully convicted of child-related sexual offences.
- The appellate court did not declare him innocent.
- The appellate court did not discharge and acquit him on all counts.
This is standard in criminal appeals: a judgment may be affirmed in part and overturned in part, but this does not erase the offender’s legal status unless explicitly stated.
WHY WAS HE RELEASED? SENTENCE COMPLETION, NOT EXONERATION
His release from custody led some to assume that he had been vindicated.
However, correctional processes in Lagos State explain the early release:
- Concurrent sentencing
- Time already spent in pre-trial detention
- Statutory remission for good conduct
- Internal correctional computations
All of these can significantly reduce the length of time physically spent in custody.
He was released because he had served the custodial component of the sentence that remained valid after the appellate court’s partial review.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF LAGOS STATE SPEAKS
To address widespread misinformation, the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, issued an official statement.
His position was unequivocal:
- The Court of Appeal did NOT exonerate Baba Ijesha. He was NOT discharged and acquitted.
- Some convictions were only partially set aside.
- He REMAINS a convicted child-sex offender under Lagos State law.
- His release was solely because he had completed his term.
This is the official and legally authoritative position of the Lagos State Government.
WHY THIS CLARIFICATION MATTERS (CHILD-SAFEGUARDING PERSPECTIVE)
In matters involving our precious, grooming, and sexual abuse, public misinformation can:
- Undermine child protection advocacy
- Re-victimize survivors
- Create false precedents
- Shield abusers behind social sentiment
- Distort public understanding of sexual offences
The Lagos State clarification ensures that:
Affected persons are not erased.
Legal processes are not distorted.
Convictions are not misrepresented.
FINAL LEGAL CONCLUSION
As of today, Baba Ijesha remains a convicted child-sex offender. This legal status stands unless and until he chooses to challenge it further by appealing to the Supreme Court of Nigeria and obtains a judgment to the contrary.
He was not exonerated by the Court of Appeal.
He was released solely because he completed the custodial portion of his sentence, based on correctional calculations, not because he was cleared.
Any claim to the contrary, whether online or offline, is incorrect, misleading, and unsupported by the official judicial record or the position of the Lagos State Government.
