The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, has firmly dismissed reports suggesting that actor Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, was freed because the Court of Appeal allegedly cleared him of all charges. He described the circulating claims as “false, misleading, and irresponsible.”
The Attorney-General explained that his office became concerned after a social media post by actor Yomi Fabiyi — later reproduced in an online publication — alleged that the Court of Appeal had exonerated Baba Ijesha of all offences, including the sexual assault of a minor. Pedro stressed that this narrative was a complete misrepresentation of the judicial process and capable of misleading unsuspecting members of the public.
He further noted that public attention was once again drawn to the matter after social commentator Very Dark Man amplified the controversy on social media, prompting renewed debate and confusion regarding the true status of the case.
Pedro clarified that no such clearance occurred at any stage. He outlined the litigation history, recalling that on July 14, 2022, the High Court of Lagos State convicted Baba Ijesha of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child over incidents that occurred in 2021, sentencing him to five and three years respectively, to run concurrently.
According to him, the Court of Appeal, in its judgment delivered on June 28, 2024, set aside only the convictions relating to earlier alleged offences from 2013–2014. However, it upheld both the conviction and sentence for the 2021 sexual assault.
Pedro emphasized that Baba Ijesha pursued a further appeal to the Supreme Court, but the apex court struck out the appeal on May 29, 2025, on grounds of incompetence. A subsequent motion for leave to file a fresh appeal was similarly dismissed on October 9, 2025. This left the Court of Appeal judgment entirely intact.
He stressed that the actor’s release was solely because he had completed his full term of imprisonment as affirmed by the appellate court — 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 stated, warning that Fabiyi’s claims were untrue and capable of causing public alarm.
He urged Lagos residents and the general public to ignore the misleading reports and cautioned those spreading the false narrative to desist. According to him, the Office of the Attorney-General will not hesitate to initiate criminal proceedings for the publication of false news with intent to cause fear or alarm, as provided under Section 39 of the Lagos Criminal Law.
Pedro reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to protecting children, upholding valid criminal convictions, and ensuring that judicial outcomes are accurately represented in the public space.