How Nollywood Actor, Baba Ijesha, Groomed Victim Before Defiling Her, Forensic Expert Tells Court

By Wale Igbintade

A Child Forensic Expert, Mrs. Anike Ajayi-Kayode, yesterday told an Ikeja Sexual Offences Court how Olanrewaju James (alias Baba Ijesha) allegedly engaged his victim, a minor (names withheld) in sexual activities.

Ajayi-Kayode also told the court how the Nollywood actor groomed his victim before defiling her.

Ajayi-Kayode, who is the executive director of the Cece Yara Foundation, further told the court that the case of Omiyinka was referred to her by the Special Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Lagos State Command, Nigerian Police Force forensic Investigation.

Led in evidence by the prosecuting team led the Director Public Prosecution(DPP), Mrs. Olayinka Adeyemi, Ajayi-Kayode said the outcome of her forensic investigation revealed that “the perpetrator engaged the child ìn sexual activities twice when she was seven years old.”

The witness who is a certified child forensic interview specialist told the court that she had participated in over 25 child forensic interviews.

She said that the survivor was relaxed, cooperative and was able to recall events that happened ìn the past.

She said the perpetrator reminded his victim that he touched her some years back and that she has grown up and developed.

She said he asked her: “Do you have a boyfriend? We have an unfinished business.”

Mrs Ajayi-Kayode told the court that the child told her that on the first occasion, her aggressor told her to “remove her pant, sit her on his lap and rub his manhood on her body” and instructed her not to tell anybody.

She said the child told her that on the second occasion, which was on April 19, the perpetrator “inserted his car keys into her virgina and also told her not to tell anybody.

The child expert told the court that the attributes exhibited by the defendant were the dynamics of child sexual abusers and the modus operandi of perpetrators, which involved “secrecy, intimidation, threat or coercion.”

She said the defendants attributes were also “similar to that exhibited by child abusers all over the world” due to vulnerability of their victims.

The child expert said that after interviewing the child, she conducted forensic Investigation on her and wrote report on her findings adding that this has been compressed into a flash drive.

Thereafter, the prosecution sought the court’s permission to tender the flash drive and the report before the court.

The defence did not object to the request.

The court admitted in evidence the flash drive and child forensic interview report prepared by the witness and the items were marked exhibit H and H1.

Also marked exhibit G was the clinical presentation on the interview conducted with the survivor.

Earlier, there was a mild drama in court as Egbeyemi made attempt to seek adjournment on the matter.

Egbeyemi at resumed proceeding told the court he had a letter from Mr. Babatunde Ogala (SAN) and Dada Awosika (SAN) requesting for an adjournment.

He said Ogala was indisposed while Awosika had travelled out of country.

But the prosecution opposed the application for adjournment by the defence.

Adeyemi reminded the court that the case against the defendant was a criminal matter, which takes precedence over any other matter.

She argued that it is not fashionable for the defence to be asking for adjournment for the senior lawyers, adding that since he was in court to hold brief for them, he should be in possession with the facts of the case.

Citing several authorities, the prosecution urged the court to hold that the defence counsel has facts of the case and order proceeding into the matter.

She also urged the court to hold that no party can hold the court to ransome and seek adjournment at his whims and caprises.

At this stage, Justice Taiwo, asked the court registrar to clarify when messages were sent to counsels on dates fixed for hearing.

He said text messages were sent on August 29 and September 26 and that the senior lawyers replied that the dates were okay for them for trial.

Justice Taiwo, therefore, rejected their application for adjournment consequent upon which the prosecution presented its first witness.