The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, has refuted widespread online reports suggesting that Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James, known as Baba Ijesha, was cleared of all charges by the Court of Appeal.
He described the circulating claims as entirely false and a serious misrepresentation of the judicial process.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday, Pedro criticised the narrative as “false, misleading and irresponsible,” stressing that it dangerously distorts the official court record.
According to him, the misinformation gained traction after a social media post by actor Yomi Fabiyi—later republished by an online platform—claimed that the appellate court had exonerated Baba Ijesha and implied the prosecution was baseless.
Pedro said that “no such clearance occurred at any stage of the judicial process,” and proceeded to outline the complete legal journey of the case.
He explained that the High Court of Lagos State had, on July 14, 2022, convicted Baba Ijesha for sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child related to incidents that happened in 2021.
The court imposed concurrent sentences of five years and three years for those offences.
While the Court of Appeal did overturn convictions connected to alleged offences dating back to 2013 and 2014, Pedro clarified that the appellate court upheld the 2021 conviction without ambiguity in its June 28, 2024 judgment.
He added that an appeal filed at the Supreme Court was first struck out on May 29, 2025, for being incompetent. A later attempt to obtain permission to file a fresh appeal was dismissed on October 9, 2025.
As a result, the Court of Appeal’s decision affirming the 2021 conviction remained the final, binding judgment.
Pedro stressed that Baba Ijesha’s recent release was solely due to the completion of his prison term, not because he had been discharged or acquitted.
“Mr. Olanrewaju James was not cleared of the offences of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child,” he stated unequivocally.
The Attorney-General urged the public to dismiss the false claims and warned Fabiyi and any platform circulating the misinformation to cease immediately.
He cautioned that the state government would consider criminal prosecution for publishing false news intended to cause fear or alarm—an offence under Section 39 of the Lagos Criminal Law—if such reports continue.
Pedro concluded by reaffirming the state’s commitment to child protection, proper enforcement of criminal convictions, and accurate communication of judicial decisions to the public.
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