The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, has denied reports claiming Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, known as Baba Ijesha, was acquitted and cleared of all charges, including sexual offenses involving a minor, by the Court of Appeal.
Actor Yomi Fabiyi had claimed on Friday, November 14, that Baba Ijesha was released from prison after the Court of Appeal dismissed his sexual abuse case.
He stated that the appellate court had exonerated Baba Ijesha and called the case a charade.
However, Pedro in his reaction, clarified that Baba Ijesha’s release is not an acquittal.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, he described this narrative as false, misleading, and irresponsible, emphasizing it distorts the judicial record and could mislead the public.
Pedro affirmed that no such clearance happened during the judicial process.
He stated that on July 14, 2022, the Lagos State High Court convicted Baba Ijesha of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child related to 2021 incidents, sentencing him to five and three years, respectively, to run concurrently.
He explained that while the Court of Appeal Lagos Division, on June 28, 2024, overturned convictions from 2013 to 2014, it upheld the 2021 sexual assault conviction and sentence.
The conviction was further confirmed after an appeal to the Supreme Court, which was dismissed on May 29, 2025, for incompetence, and a subsequent motion to file a new appeal was rejected on October 9, 2025, leaving the Court of Appeal’s 2024 judgment intact.
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Pedro clarified that Baba Ijesha’s release was solely because he completed his full prison term, not because he was discharged or acquitted.
He emphasized that Olanrewaju James was not cleared of sexual assault or indecent treatment charges.
He called on Lagos residents and the public to ignore the false claims circulating and warned Fabiyi and platforms spreading this misinformation to stop immediately.
Pedro also stated that his office would pursue criminal charges for publishing false information intended to cause fear or alarm, as per Section 39 of the Lagos Criminal Law, if the misinformation continues.
Finally, the attorney-general reaffirmed the state’s commitment to protecting children, enforcing convictions, and ensuring that judicial decisions are accurately reflected publicly.
