The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, has refuted circulating reports alleging that Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, was released because he was cleared by the Court of Appeal. He described the claims as “false, misleading and irresponsible.”
Speaking to journalists in Lagos on Sunday, Pedro said his office was concerned by a social media post from actor Yomi Fabiyi, which alleged that Baba Ijesha had been exonerated of all charges, including sexual offences involving a minor.
As reported by Vanguard, Pedro stated that such narratives were a “complete distortion of the judicial record and capable of misleading the public.”
He explained that Fabiyi’s claims wrongly suggested that the Court of Appeal had “cleared” the convict of ever defiling a minor and had termed the entire case a “charade.”
Pedro outlined the legal timeline, recalling that on July 14, 2022, the Lagos State High Court convicted Baba Ijesha for sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child for incidents that occurred in 2021, sentencing him to five and three years respectively — to run concurrently.
He added, “On June 28, 2024, the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, delivered judgment on his appeal. While the court set aside convictions related to alleged offences from 2013–2014, it upheld the conviction and sentence for the 2021 sexual assault charges.”
Pedro noted that Baba Ijesha pursued an appeal to the Supreme Court, but it was struck out on May 29, 2025, for incompetence.
He further explained that a later motion seeking permission to file a new appeal was dismissed on October 9, 2025, leaving the Court of Appeal judgment fully intact.
The Attorney-General stressed that the actor’s release resulted solely from completing his full jail term 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 said, warning that Fabiyi’s claims were false and capable of causing unnecessary public alarm.
Pedro urged Lagos residents to disregard the misleading reports and cautioned Fabiyi — along with platforms circulating the falsehood — to desist immediately.
He added that 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.
Reports state that comedienne and actress Damilola Adekoya, popularly known as Princess, reacted to Baba Ijesha’s release by calling on the Lagos State Government and the Department of Justice to include his name in the sex offender register.
During a live Instagram session on Saturday, November 15, 2025, she said, “I want to urge Lagos State Government, the Department of Justice, to please publish his name in the sex offenders register,” adding that she would be expecting an update on the issue.