SP Wahab Kareem, a Nigerian Police Force officer, told an Ikeja Special Offences Court on Friday that embattled Nollywood star James Olarenwaju Omiyinka, also known as Baba Ijesha, is facing a new child defilement accusation.
Another young lady has come forward, claiming that the actor defiled her when she was 12 years old, according to authorities from the State Criminal Investigation Department in Yaba, Lagos.
Kareem, who works for the State Criminal Investigation Department in Yaba, Lagos, was the sixth prosecution witness in Baba Ijesha’s trial for defiling a minor.
Led in evidence by the state counsel, Mr Yusuf Sule, the police officer said, “During our investigation, another girl (name withheld) came forward and said the defendant assaulted her when she was 12 years old. We interviewed her and the defendant behind the counter, and he vehemently denied the allegation.
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“The girl said the incident occurred at Agah area of Ikorodu, and we told a representative of the defendant to follow us to the house, we met the landlord. However, the landlord showed us an apartment and said, `This is where Baba Ijesha used to stay’. Meanwhile, the defendant had denied living in that area.”
The statement of James’ former landlord, Alhaji Jameel, and his statement at the SCID were accepted into evidence after the testimony.
A video tape of James at the SCID admitting to sexually assaulting comedienne Damilola Adekoya aka Princess’ foster daughter was played during the proceedings.
“I harassed her, I touched her hand and I licked her hand,” the defendant said in the clip.
Earlier, Kareem testified that he was asked to take over the investigation of the case from a team due to complaints from Adekoya.
“I was asked to take over the matter from Team A because the complainant (Princess) had complained about the closeness between the defendant and members of Team A. After the conclusion of the investigation, I transferred the file to the Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice,” he said.
While being cross-examined by Mr Babatunde Ogala (SAN), Kareem said that he never visited the crime scene, adding that the other minor who also accused the defendant of defilement was brought to the police by Adekoya.
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He said that the statement of the defendant’s former landlord was recorded at the landlord’s residence and not at a police station.
He added that James was not taken to Ikorodu to counter the other claim of defilement due to security reasons.
“The defendant was the one who asked his brother to take us to Ikorodu. We did not take him there because of security reasons; his name was all over the news on televisions and radio stations. He could have been hijacked from us; that is why we told him to nominate someone and he nominated his brother to go with us,” Kareem said.
The case was adjourned to November 12, 2021, by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, for the continuation of the trial.
