By Seyi Babalola
Popular Yoruba Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James, alias Baba Ijesha, has filed an appeal at the Lagos Division of the Appeal Court against his five-year prison sentence.
Baba Ijesha requested the Appeal Court to overturn his conviction by the Lagos State High Court for allegedly sexually abusing a juvenile.
On July 12, 2022, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo (retd.) of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court sentenced the Yoruba Nollywood star to five years in jail for sexual abuse of a child.
Baba Ijesha, who was dissatisfied with the ruling, filed an appeal to dispute the term.
Baba Ijesha, through his counsel, Kayode Olabiran on Tuesday, told the Appeal Court that his client was set up and that he acted according to a script that he was invited to act on by his colleague.
“The appellant was set up. The appellant is an actor. He acted in a script that he was invited to act by his colleague (PW1), Damilola Adekoya,” he said.
But the Director of Public Prosecution, Babajide Martins, urged the court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit and also a misconception.
He urged the court to affirm the judgment of the lower court.