The Lagos State high court in Ikeja has on Thursday, 24 June, granted embattled Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, popularly called Baba Ijes
The Lagos State high court in Ikeja has on Thursday, 24 June, granted embattled Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, popularly called Baba Ijesha bail.
The actor was arraigned before the Special Offences Court in Lagos on charges of sexual assault, indecent treatment of a child, and sexual assault by penetration.
The judge identified as Oluwatoyin Taiwo granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2 million.
Taiwo said bail is a constitutional right and not a discretionary right.
She said granting him bail is to release him from the custody of the law and entrust him to appear for trial when required to.
“The freedom is temporary in the sense that it lasts only for the period of trial. The defendant is hereby granted bail in the sum of N2million and two sureties in like sum. One of the surety must be a blood relation of the applicant with clear proof of this relationship and must be resident in Lagos State and shall present evidence of having paid income tax in Lagos State in the last three years.
“The second surety shall be a legal practitioner as suggested by the defense counsel. The surety shall present evidence of bar and shall swear an oath to an affidavit,” Taiwo said.
She added that the legal practitioner must have a residence and an office address in Lagos and enter a monetary bond of N1 million to be deposited with the chief registrar who shall approve the surety.
For his court appearance, Baba Ijesha beefed up his defence in his trial over allegations of child molestation by hiring two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to represent him during proceedings at an Ikeja Special Offences Court.
The two SANs who announced their appearance before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo during Thursday’s proceedings are; Mr Dada Awosika (SAN) and Mr Babatunde Ogala (SAN).
The senior lawyers announced appearance with a team of six junior counsels to represent Baba Ijesha in his defence.
Comedienne Damilola Adekoya alias Princess whom Baba Ijesha is accused of sexually molesting her 14-year-old foster daughter was also present in court for proceedings. She arrived at 8.52am.
Baba Ijesha has been in detention since April 22.
The trial was adjourned to July 27.
