Baba Ijesha release not acquittal
The Lagos State Attorney-General, Lawal Pedro, has publicly clarified that the recent release of actor Olanrewaju “Baba Ijesha” James does not amount to an acquittal. Contrary to claims circulating online, Pedro said there was no stage in the legal process where Baba Ijesha was “cleared” of the charges against him.
Pedro explained that what happened was the conclusion of Baba Ijesha’s prison term, not a judicial exoneration. The actor, he noted, completed his sentence as affirmed by the Court of Appeal, and his release was based solely on the fact that he had served that full term.
To set the record straight, he walked through the legal history: in July 2022, a Lagos High Court convicted Baba Ijesha of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child, giving him prison terms that ran concurrently. In June 2024, the Court of Appeal overturned some earlier charges (from 2013–2014) but upheld the conviction linked to the 2021 assault charge.
Pedro added that Baba Ijesha’s further appeal to the Supreme Court was struck out in May 2025 due to procedural issues. His application for leave to file a fresh appeal was rejected in October 2025. Because of that, the Court of Appeal’s ruling including the upheld conviction remains fully in force.
In his statement, the Attorney-General warned that the claims of “clearance” are misleading and dangerous. He said such false narratives distort judicial records and could cause public alarm. He also threatened to invoke Section 39 of the Lagos Criminal Law, which criminalizes publishing false news to cause fear or alarm, if the misinformation continues.
Pedro stressed the government’s commitment to protecting children, enforcing valid convictions, and ensuring accurate representation of legal outcomes to the public.
