Video of me molesting a child was acting, Baba-Ijesha tells court

Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James has told the court that the video showing him molesting a child was only acting.

According to the actor, he was acting out a movie role created by Comedienne Princess, whom he claimed is his lover.

Baba-Ijesha is standing trial for molesting a sexually a-14-year old girl.

While being led in evidence by defence counsel, Dada Awosika, SAN, before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Sexual Offences Court in Ikeja, the defendant said that the foster mother of the minor, Comedienne Damilola Adekoya alias Princess, had called and requested him to be part of the movie production.

He had also said that the Comedienne Princess was his former lover.

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Narrating to the court, “In April 19, 2021, Princess sent me a message that she wanted to start a production and she would like me to play the role of a lover boy to which I replied ‘Okay’.

“I later sent her a message saying ‘Our Mummy’ which I fondly called her that are we still seeing today? she replied ‘Yes’.

He continued his testimony, “She said I was to play the role of a lover boy adding that she wanted to surprise people that I can also play normal roles.

“She said the story is about rape and she wanted to tell the story in another dimension.

Then, the defence counsel tendered before the court, a Whatsapp message between Princess and the defendant which was electronically generated.

The court admitted the print-out into evidence after no objection was raised by the prosecution counsel.

Giving further explanation, the defendant said he asked Princess for the movie location but he was told by Princess to come over to her house.

His words, “Before I entered, Princess met me at the balcony that the movie production was a Lagos State project, adding that the state wanted her to be the face of “anti-child molestation.”

“She told me to improvise and create a story by myself. I told her the house was dark when I entered. She said we should rehearse that she would use her phone.

“Princess specifically told me to kiss and suck the breast of the child, adding that the dress the girl was wearing was purposely for the role the girl wanted to play.

“She said she would leave the room so that the child would not be shy to play out the role.

“All the scenes you were seeing in that video my Lord, was acting. I was only acting,” he said.

The defendant also told the court that he and Princess were directors of the movie, claiming that Princess told him he could act out the scene in the kitchen as well.

Speaking further, Baba-Ijesha told the judge, “She told me I could go into the kitchen as well. She told the girl in question ‘you remember what I told you, when I leave the room now, act out your role perfectly.’

“The girl removed my shoe and I started acting out my role. I romanced her based on the movie role Princess gave me.

“As I was acting with the girl, kissing and licking her fingers, I was also whispering to her ‘hey do not look at the camera’.

He explained further, “Suddenly, I saw like eight people including Princess, enter the room and start beating the girl. I even thought it was part of acting. She beat her and said ‘Idiot is that what I asked you to do?’ One of the men gave me a blow and alleged that I raped the girl.

The defendant also told the court that she was forced in the viral video by Princess to admit that he raped the girl.

“Princess said, ‘you know I love you, just tell me seven years ago you used your car key to dis-virgin the girl’ that she would allow me to go if I said so.

“I had to accept under pressure so that the men would not injure me the more. Afterwards, Princess invited one police officer named Abigail, before I was taken to Sabo Police Station,” he narrated to the court.

The defendant also said he was forced to sign a statement that was not written by him at the police station.

“The statement in question profiled me because I have all my information online and Princess knows all my information as well. Immediately Abigail asked me to sign and I did just that, she took me back to the cell and I stayed there till the following morning.

Under cross-examination by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP, Dr. Babajide Martins, the defendant admitted to having known the girl since she was seven years old.

He said that he did not inform the police at Sabo and Panti that they were acting.

“I did not inform the policemen that we were acting because I was not myself.

I also did not inform them at the two police stations that Princess and I were in a relationship,” he said while being cross-examined.

The defendant also claimed that he and Princess were in an intimate relationship.

According to him, “We were dating, my lord, she always sleeps in my room. We sleep together, I touch her, she touches me, she kisses me and I kiss her.”

He told the court during his testimony that he met the comedienne after he received a phone call from Princess while he was an On-Air Personality on Radio Lagos and LTV 8.

He continued, “She said she was my number one fan and she asked me to promote her on my programme. That is how we started.

“She told me she wanted to join the Yoruba section because the English Section is bad, Ali Baba is bad, Buchi is bad. She also asked me to introduce her to my producer.”

The defendant said that during the course of their relationship, he met the mother of Princess who took a liking to him because they are namesakes and that the mother gave him her nickname which is “Mama Larry.”

He said that Princess’ mother also advised him to take care of her daughter and that though her daughter is stubborn, she was assured that he could “handle her”.

“I promised to promote her, I cannot allow anything to affect her career, I cannot hurt a woman, I’ve never done it in my life,” he claimed.

Narrating what transpired in 2014, the day he allegedly sexually molested Princess’ foster daughter with a car key, the defendant said in October 2014, a day after he returned from visiting his wife at the United Kingdom, he received a phone call from Princess.

He said the comedienne informed him that she was battling ill health and needed some fruits.

He said he granted her request and bought some fruits for her at home.

“Immediately I opened the door to her house, I saw her half naked and I told her that I am outside, your fruit is inside the car.

“Few minutes the young girl (Princess’s foster daughter) came to pick the fruits from the car, she even met some area boys asking me for money, I gave her the fruits and she left.”

The defendant also denied defiling the minor with his car key during the visit to her foster mother’s home in 2014.

So far, six prosecution witnesses had given evidence against Baba Ijesha during the trial while two witnesses already testified in his defence.

The trail judge, Justice Taiwo adjourned the case until March 11 for continuation for defence.