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Baba Ijesha’s name entered in sexual offenders register

Published

2 years ago

July 16, 2022

Olanrewaju Omiyinka, aka Baba Ijesha

The name of Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, aka Baba Ijesha, has been entered into the register of sexual offenders in Lagos State.

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency confirmed this to one of our correspondents on Friday.

This is as the International Federation of Women Lawyers described the judgment as a welcome development.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said, “All details of sex convicts are immediately enrolled into the sex offenders registers once a conviction is secured.”

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court on Thursday sentenced Baba Ijesha to 16 years imprisonment, adding that the jail terms were to run concurrently for five years.

He had faced six counts of child defilement that include indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault by penetration proffered against him by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

Although the prosecution argued that the offences contravened sections 135, 137, 261, 202, 262, and 263 of the Lagos State Criminal Law 2015, which stipulates life imprisonment for offenders, Baba Ijesha pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

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A Closed-Circuit Television video recording detailing his relationship with the victim said to be a minor was played in court.

But delivering the judgement, Justice Taiwo, who said that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty of all the charges against him, found the defendant guilty of four of the six counts against him.

Baba Ijesha was found guilty of count two, three, four and five; for count two, he was jailed for three years; count three, five years; count four, three years, and bagged five years for count five.

The defendant was arraigned on June 24, 2021, during which six prosecution witnesses, including actress and comedienne, Princess; the 14-year-old minor, a child expert, Mrs Olabisi Ajayi-Kayode; and a medical doctor, Dr Aniekan Makanjuola, testified against him.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the Chairperson of FIDA, Badagry branch, Adaku Mbama, added, however, that Baba Ijesha was lucky to have not been convicted for sexual assault by penetration which would have made him liable for life imprisonment.

“He is extremely lucky because under our laws if he was convicted of penetration, it is life imprisonment. To go further, the man had indecent treatment of a child and a child is very vulnerable. So, thank goodness he (Baba Ijesha) escaped life imprisonment because if he went ahead to defile or even rape the child as it were under Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State which states that if there is a penetration of a child or a girl, the punishment is life imprisonment.

“One thing about criminal justice is it will always be there for life. If anybody commits any criminal offence and thinks that after some years, seven years, 10 years, it cannot be dug up, it will always be dug up,” Mbama said.

She further said FIDA expected the state government to immediately enter the convict’s name in the register of sexual offenders.

Related Topics:Baba Ijesha register sexual offenders

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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November 14, 2024

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2024

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Trends Admin

Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.