By Linus Akomolafe
As Olanrewaju Omiyinka, also known as Baba Ijesha continues to fight for his freedom in the ongoing trial against child molestation, which began on Monday, 26th at the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, there are three reasons that he may suffer life imprisonment if found guilty and convicted.
He was charged with six counts of sexual assault, indecent treatment of a child, and sexual penetration.
1. Criminal Laws of Lagos (CLL): Under the CLL. rape is when a man has sexual intercourse with a woman or girl without her consent, or with incorrectly obtained consent. Consent can be incorrectly obtained where it is obtained.
Note that rape occurs when the vagina of the woman is penetrated, which Baba Ijesha is accused of. This is a crime.The penalty for rape across all the laws is life imprisonment (it’s not a mandatory sentence in all cases).
2. According to section 283 of the Penal Code Act 1960, any person who commits the offence of rape also referred to as sexual assault, is liable to imprisonment for life, with or without caning. The code further states that “Whoever commits rape shall be punished with imprisonment for life or for any less term and shall also be liable to fine.”
3. For indecent treatment of a child, the offence contravened Section 135 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 and carries a penalty of seven years imprisonment.
Meanwhile, during Tuesday trial, actress, Damilola Adekoya aka Princess, revealed that two other men had exposed themselves indecently to the minor, and one had tried to have canal knowledge of her.
During cross-examination she denied releasing the CCTV footage on social media which captured Baba Ijesha and the minor. She claimed she did not set up her foster daughter to be allegedly defiled by her colleague, Baba Ijesha.
She said she baited him (Baba Ijesha) with a ‘script conference’ and a plan to confront him about his alleged defilement of her foster child, which had led to the minor being distracted in her academics.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo however adjourned the matter after Princess’s cross-examination by Baba Ijesha’s defence counsel to August 11 and 12, 2021.
