The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN), has dismissed reports claiming that actor Olanrewaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, was “cleared” by the Court of Appeal, describing the claim as false and capable of misleading the public.

The AG emphasised that the actor’s release followed the completion of his jail term as affirmed by the appellate court, not because he was absolved of guilt.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos yesterday, Pedro said his attention was drawn to a social media post by actor Yomi Fabiyi, later republished by online platforms, alleging that the appellate court had exonerated Baba Ijesha of all charges, including the sexual offences involving a minor for which he was convicted.

He said the assertion was a deliberate misrepresentation of the judicial record.

Pedro explained that the clarification became necessary following Fabiyi’s claims that the Court of Appeal had declared the entire case a “charade” and absolved the actor of wrongdoing. He stressed that no part of the appellate court’s judgment granted such a clearance.

He reviewed the case history, noting that the Lagos State High Court, on 14 July 2022, convicted Baba Ijesha of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child for offences committed in 2021 and sentenced him to five and three years respectively, to run concurrently.

According to him, the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, in its 28 June 2024 judgment, only set aside charges related to alleged offences in 2013–2014, but expressly upheld the conviction and sentence for the 2021 sexual assault.

Pedro added that Baba Ijesha’s subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court was struck out on 29 May 2025 for being incompetent, while a follow-up application for leave to file a fresh appeal was dismissed on 9 October 2025. This left the Court of Appeal judgment fully in force.
“Mr Olanrewaju James was not cleared of the offences of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child,” Pedro said, warning that the circulating claims were untrue and capable of causing public alarm.

He urged members of the public to disregard the misinformation and cautioned Fabiyi and any platform amplifying the false narrative to desist.

He added that the Office of the Attorney-General would not hesitate to invoke Section 39 of the Lagos Criminal Law, which criminalises the publication of false news intended to cause fear or alarm, should the falsehood continue.

Pedro reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to protecting children, enforcing valid convictions, and preventing distortion of judicial outcomes in the public space.