An officer of the Nigerian Police Force, SP Wahab Kareem, on
Friday told an Ikeja Special Offences Court that embattled Nollywood actor
Olarenwaju Omiyinka popularly known as Baba Ijesha is facing another allegation
of child defilement.
The police personnel attached to the State Criminal
Investigation Department, Yaba, Lagos, stated that another young lady has come
forward, claiming that the actor defiled her when she was 12 years old.
Kareem, attached to the State Criminal Investigation
Department, Yaba, Lagos, testified as the fifth prosecution witness in Baba
Ijesha’s trial for the defilement of a minor, the News Agency of Nigeria
reports.
Led in evidence by the state counsel, Mr Yusuf Sule, the
police officer said, “During our investigation, another girl (name withheld)
came forward and said the defendant assaulted her when she was 12 years old. We
interviewed her and the defendant behind the counter, and he vehemently denied
the allegation.
“The girl said the incident occurred at Agah area of Ikorodu,
and we told a representative of the defendant to follow us to the house, we met
the landlord. However, the landlord showed us an apartment and said, `This is
where Baba Ijesha used to stay’. Meanwhile, the defendant had denied living in
that area.”
Following the testimony, the statement of James’ former
landlord, Alhaji Jameel, and his statement at the SCID was admitted into
evidence.
During proceedings, a video recording of James at the SCID
admitting to sexually assaulting the foster daughter comedienne Damilola
Adekoya alias Princess was played.
“I harassed her, I touched her hand and I licked her hand,”
the defendant said in the clip.
Earlier, Kareem testified that he was asked to take over the
investigation of the case from a team due to complaints from Adekoya.
“I was asked to take over the matter from Team A because the
complainant (Princess) had complained about the closeness between the defendant
and members of Team A. After the conclusion of the investigation, I transferred
the file to the Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice,” he said.
While being cross-examined by Mr Babatunde Ogala (SAN),
Kareem said that he never visited the crime scene, adding that the other minor
who also accused the defendant of defilement was brought to the police by
Adekoya.
He said that the statement of the defendant’s former
landlord was recorded at the landlord’s residence and not at a police station.
Moreso, he told the court that the statement was taken to
his superior, CSP Margaret Ighodalo.
When asked to show where his superior countersigned the
landlord’s statement as required by law, the witness said the landlord’s
statement was not countersigned.
Also, the policeman testified that a lawyer was not present
when James made his initial statement to the police at the SCID.
He added that James was not taken to Ikorodu to counter the
other claim of defilement due to security reasons.
“The defendant was the one who asked his brother to take us
to Ikorodu. We did not take him there because of security reasons; his name was
all over the news on televisions and radio stations. He could have been
hijacked from us; that is why we told him to nominate someone and he nominated
his brother to go with us,” Kareem said.
Baba Ijesha faces a six-count charge bordering on the
indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by
penetration and sexual assault by penetration.
The offences contravene Sections 135, 259, 262, 263 and 262
of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Actress and comedienne Adekoya, alias Princess, the foster
mother of the alleged victim, was present in court.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned the case until November
12, 2021, for the continuation of trial.
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