Actor Yomi Fabiyi has continued to defend his embattled colleague, Baba Ijesha, amidst the ongoing legal saga surrounding allegations of rape.
News About Nigeria reported that Baba Ijesha was arrested and subsequently sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor, who happens to be the adopted daughter of popular comedian Princess.
In a recent interview, Fabiyi claimed that there is insufficient evidence to prove that Baba Ijesha actually engaged in sexual intercourse with the girl.
He pointed out that the absence of such evidence was likely why the judge did not impose a life sentence.
“Baba Ijesha’s appeal process is still ongoing in court. There was no evidence that he slept with the girl; that was why the judge didn’t sentence him to life imprisonment,” Fabiyi stated.
Furthermore, Fabiyi pointed out Princess’s involvement in the matter, stating that the comedian had initially called Baba Ijesha to shoot a skit.
He also referenced the girl’s statement in court, indicating that she too mentioned being called to feature in a skit.
Fabiyi said that the actual perpetrator, in his view, remains at large and that there are discrepancies regarding the girl’s age.
“The person who actually slept with the girl is walking freely. The girl’s age is not 14. They never gave the court her birth certificate. We are waiting for the appeal court judgement,” Fabiyi said.
The legal battle surrounding Baba Ijesha dates back to July 2022, when Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court sentenced him to 16 years in prison following his conviction on four of the six-count charges related to indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, and attempted sexual assault by penetration.
The case gained widespread attention after closed-circuit television footage surfaced in 2021, showing Baba Ijesha engaging in inappropriate behaviour, including kissing and fondling the victim, who was under Princess’s care.
