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Baba Ijesa Gets Bail, As Lagos Judiciary Begins decongesting Police Stations

Temporary reprieve came the way of embattled Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, popularly known as ‘Baba Ijesa’ as he was granted bail by Chief Magistrate Oluwatoyin Oghre on Monday evening.

Baba Ijesha was one of several other suspects granted bail during the ongoing Lagos State Judiciary weeklong special intervention to decongest Police Stations across the state.

The intervention is being held in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria (Lagos State), the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos State and Police Duty Solicitors (PDSS).

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The intervention which empowers Magistrates to visit Police Detention Facilities as prescribed under Sections 33 and 34 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 was carried out at the State CID Panti on Monday.

The actor, who was granted bail on health grounds, was ordered to produce two sureties, one of whom must be a level 10 officer in the Lagos State Civil Service.

While the other surety must be a blood relative and they must both sigh a bail bond of N500,000 each.

The actor is yet to perfect the bail terms as it was granted late on Monday evening.

His lawyer, Adesina Ogunlana,  however,  said efforts would be made to met the terms on Tuesday.

Leadership recalls that the Lagos State government had last week announced that Baba Ijesa’ would soon be charge to court for sexual assault by penetration, among other crimes.

According to the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), the State’s Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had recommended five charges including sexual assault charge, which is punishable by life imprisonment.

Onigbanjo said that the charges were drafted “after due consideration of the facts in the case file.

Baba Ijesa was recently caught on tape allegedly harassing a minor.

In a video that went viral on social media, he was also seen confessing to the crime and pleading for forgiveness.

During the Special Intervention, three Lagos State Magistrates attended to over 150 suspects in detention under the supervision of the Deputy Registrars Legal and Special Duties.

The Magistrates treated both felonies and misdemeanor cases and granted bail to suspects whose offences were bailable.

29th March 2024
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