The Lagos State Government has clarified that Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesa regained freedom on completion of his jail term contrary to claim on social media that he was released after being cleared by the Court of Appeal
Penpushing reports that the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, made the clarification while speaking with journalists on Sunday and described the claim credited to Appeal court as false, misleading and irresponsible.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who vehemently debunked the said report said his office was alarmed by a social media post by actor Yomi Fabiyi, which alleged that Baba Ijesha had been exonerated of all charges, including sexual offences involving a minor.
Penpushing further reports that Pedro warned that such claims were a complete distortion of the judicial record and capable of misleading the public, emphasizing that clarification became necessary after Fabiyi claimed the Court of Appeal had cleared the convict of ever defiling a minor and labelled the case a charade.
The Attorney-General outlined the legal history, pointing out 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 in 2021, sentencing him to five years and three years respectively, to run concurrently.
‘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’, he explained
Penpushing also reports that Pedro said Baba Ijesha pursued a Supreme Court appeal, which was struck out on May 29, 2025, for incompetence, adding that a subsequent motion for leave to file a fresh appeal was dismissed on October 9, 2025, leaving the Court of Appeal judgment fully intact.
The Commissioner emphasised that the actor’s release was solely 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 said, warning that Fabiyi’s claims were untrue and capable of alarming the public’.
Penpushing reports that Pedro, therefore, urged Lagos state residents to disregard the circulating reports and cautioned Fabiyi and platforms amplifying the falsehood to desist immediately.
The Attorney General declared that his office 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.
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