Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the special offenses court, Ikeja Lagos, has ruled that the confessional statements of the defendant, Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, alias Baba Ijesha, who is facing trial over allegations of defilement, was substantively valid and is admitted by the court.
The ruling was reached on Wednesday by Justice Taiwo after a trial-within-trial to validate the voluntariness of the proposed confessional statement made by Baba Ijesha at the Sabo police division, Yaba, Lagos, after he was arrested on April 22.
The judge said the statements were not obtained under duress neither was the defendant, Baba Ijesha, tortured by the police.
Justice Taiwo also rejected the actor’s claims wherein he said that he was tortured while making a confessional statement to the police.
The presiding judge said, “We will take the no-case submission in the New Year; the court is rounding up.”
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She ruled that there was no evidence before the court, which proved that the embattled Nollywood actor was t*rtured into making the statement to the police.
“Sitting on the floor does not vitiate the confessional statement. The statement is found to be relevant and admissible,” the judge said.
In a related development, Lagos State Government has closed its case against Baba Ijesha, who is facing trial over allegations of defilement.
Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, Director, Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), made this known on Wednesday after the cross-examination of the sixth prosecution witness by the defence.
“The prosecution has closed its case against the defendant,” the DPP said.
Following the DPP’s statement, the defence counsel, Mr Kayode Olabiran, announced to the court that the defendant intended to file a no-case submission.
