Baba Ijesha: Princess react, Women lawyers laud judgment (VIDEO)

African Women Lawyers Association  (AWLA) has applauded  conviction of  Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James (alias Baba Ijesha) for child defilement, saying it raised hope of the common man in the judiciary.

The President of  AWLA, Mrs Mandy Asagba, made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos 

NAN reports that Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court on Thursday sentenced Baba Ijesha to 16 years’ imprisonment for defiling a 14-year-old.

In  a two-hour judgment, Taiwo held that  prosecution successfully proved the charge of sexual assault of a minor and indecent treatment of a minor against the convict.

Reacting, Asagba said that Baba Ijesha’s conviction showed that there was light at the end of the tunnel in the fight against defilement and rape.

“Kudos to Lagos State Judiciary for the judgment. We are very proud, because to get a witness to testify is  always a  problem.

“The rate of sexual assault in Nigeria is very alarming and if we have witnesses to testify, it makes the work easier.

“We appreciate the state directorate of public prosecutions for a job well done.

“The sentencing of the actor will encourage more people to speak up because a lot of women and girls who are passing through this trauma are scared to speak up due to stigma and fear of not getting justice,” she said.

She described the judgment as good news for women, every Nigerian child and the entire humanity.

“This shows justice for women, because we live in a society where our girls are used as sex objects,” she said.

According to her, offenders  must understand that rule of law is  practisable in Nigeria.

Convicting the actor, the judge said: “The defendant took his acting too far, the defendant abused friendship.

“The behaviour of the defendant is appalling, this shows the length people can go in exhibiting the animalistic urge in them.

“However, the court is not distracted.”

Meanwhile, Princess has has reacted in a video, saying that rape is evil and God cannot be mocked.

In another video on her Instagram page, Princess was seen wearing white garment while worshipping God.