”A close-circuit Television footage has revealed that Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, aka Baba Ijesha, kissed and fondled sensitive parts of the body of the 14-year-old girl in the care of popular comedienne, Adekola Adekanya, otherwise called Princess.
Not done, Omiyinka, while engaging in the act, was also seen licking the fingers on the left hand of the victim and caressing the minor’s legs and thighs with his left hand.
In an apparent effort to sexually arouse the minor, Omiyinka was seen lifting the victim’s dress as he caressed the minor’s body.
Punch Newspaper’s correspondent who obtained the footage observed that the minor was dressed in a sleeveless gown as she sat on a sofa in Adekanya’s residence. Omiyinka wore a white shirt, a pair of blue jeans and a hat.
Shortly after Adekanya stepped out, Omiyinka, who also sat beside the victim on the same sofa, was seen using his hand to caress the victim’s left arm.
Before Omiyinka started the act, the comedienne was seen leaving her apartment with three others, leaving Omiyinka and the victim in the parlour to see off the guests. After Adekanya left the apartment, Omiyinka was shown by the footage searching the rooms.
Some minutes later, Omiyinka kissed the minor’s arm, hugged and caressed her body as they sat on the sofa.
However, the victim, who was uncomfortable by Omiyinka’s advances, quickly disentangled herself from the actor’s grip.
Omiyinka was again seen in the footage, standing with the victim in the parlour, hugging the minor and using his two hands to caress the victim’s buttocks.
The victim, however, disengaged herself from Omiyinka, who clung to her. Afterwards, Omiyinka was seen using both hands to caress the minor’s head.
The footage also showed him bending the victim to a corner on the sofa and kissing the minor. Again, the 14-year-old girl disengaged herself from Omiyinka’s grip.
Our correspondent observed that the sexual advances were instigated by the thespian. Also, background voices of people monitoring the situation in the parlour were heard in the footage. From the footage assessed, there was no part that showed Omiyinka defiling the minor.
Meanwhile, Omiyinka was seen in another footage remorsefully pleading to Adekanya, and some other persons, who reportedly caught him sexually assaulting the minor in the parlour.
“Please forgive me, I am sorry. I know I have offended but please forgive me. I beg you in the name of God, please forgive me. You tried for me, you don’t deserve this.
“I don’t know what went wrong with me, forgive me. If you want to take me away (to Panti), let me just kill myself. I know I have done what is wrong, but please, forgive me,” Omiyinka said in the footage while being interrogated by Adekanya and others.
Reacting to the footage, the chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Arewa, while condemning Omiyinka’s action, said, “So despicable! The act by Yoruba actor, Baba Ijesha who defiled a girl, at 7 years and later at 14 years!! Who knows how many the paedophile could have damaged if he wasn’t caught. I sponsored the violence against person’s law. The penalty is nothing less than 14 years in prison.
“His plea begging on some video I watched should not be acceptable. We should all do all we can to support the girl’s foster mother, Princess, to ensure this case goes to court and fully tried, and the maximum sentence passed on him.”
PUNCH Metro had exclusively reported that a senior officer at the Lagos State Police Command confirmed that a directive had been given for Omiyinka’s release from custody.
The source said a case of indecent assault could only be established against Omiyinka, adding that due to the ongoing strike by members of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, courts had ceased sitting and Omiyinka could not be detained indefinitely without trial.
Following public outcry against the decision to release Omiyinka on bail, celebrities, including Iyabo Ojo, Adekanya, among others, protested at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, against the likely release of the comedian
However, the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, while parading some suspects at the command headquarters in the Ikeja area of the state, on Thursday, said Omiyinka would remain in custody pending the legal advice from the Ministry of Justice.
Reacting to the development on Friday, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Team said it was actively following up on Omiyinka’s case, adding that necessary support had been provided to the complainant.
The statement read in part, “This is to inform members of the public that the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Team is actively following up on the Baba Ijesha’s case, we are also in direct contact with the complainant with a view to providing the necessary support.
“We confirm that the duplicate case file has been forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice. For the avoidance of doubt, the following allegations are being considered:
“Sexual Assault by Penetration- S 261 of the Criminal law of Lagos State, 2015 punishable by Life imprisonment. Attempted Sexual Assault by Penetration-S262 of the Criminal law, punishable by 14 years imprisonment. Sexual Assault- S263 of the Criminal Law, punishable by 3 years imprisonment. Indecent treatment of a child- S135 of the Criminal Law punishable by seven years imprisonment.
“We have absolute confidence in the criminal justice system, as well as social support structures in Lagos State in ensuring justice is served in this matter and most importantly, the survivor receives the relevant support on her journey towards healing.
“We, therefore, use this medium to reiterate Lagos State Government’s position of zero tolerance to all forms of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and our firm commitment in ensuring justice for survivors.”
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