Olanrewaju "Baba Ijesha" James has consistently professed his innocence in a recent podcast appearance, recounting the events that led to his arrest and subsequent sentencing in a notorious rape case.
During his discussion on the Talk To B podcast, Baba Ijesha alleged that he was summoned to the home of actress and comedienne Damilola "Princess Comedian" Adekoya under the guise of a job opportunity related to a television series purportedly financed by the Lagos State Government. This invitation, he claims, was part of a scheme against him.
On November 15, 2025, PREMIUM TIMES reported Baba Ijesha's release after he completed three years of a 16-year sentence handed down by the Ikeja Special Offences Court in July 2022. This followed a trial that dragged on for over a year, initiated with his arrest in June 2021 by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo.
He stated that he accepted the invitation because he was told it involved a role as a character in a series aimed at addressing child abuse, which he believed was supported by the state government. Baba Ijesha received a text from Princess begging him to consider the job, claiming she needed him for a project she was involved with.
He explained that upon arriving at her residence, he was met with no scripts or organized production. The situation quickly escalated, leading to his arrest soon after.
In his narrative, he detailed that Princess claimed the Lagos State Government had assigned her a series but later revealed that they had not approved a specific actor she initially wanted for a role, prompting her to seek him out. James stated that he was under the impression that they would be meeting for serious discussions regarding his involvement in the project.
When he got to her place, he encountered unprepared staging, which raised his suspicions about the legitimacy of the supposed project. As described, there was no evidence of a script, and lighting arrangements were absent. In this chaotic atmosphere, his situation became dire, leading to his eventual detention.
He further elaborated on the lack of a formal script during his visit, explaining that when he requested one, Princess informed him that there would be spontaneous acting, suggesting that people would arrive to catch them in the act as part of an elaborate scheme to solicit government funding for her organization.
The actor noted that during their interactions, he overheard conversations suggesting that the child involved in the filming was distressed. As he navigated this precarious situation, he became more aware of the need to protect the child, asking Princess to refrain from forcing her into unpleasant scenarios.
In an alarming revelation, he claimed he was attacked by aggressors hired by Princess under the pretense of collaborators. He described how they coerced him into making a video appealing to Princess for help, all the while suppressing audio that could have exonerated him.
Baba Ijesha recounted a chilling moment when he was assaulted and realized the entire event was a setup aimed at using him to benefit Princess’s agenda. He disclosed that he came to understand this after receiving a voice note from one of his assailants that revealed Princess had manipulated the situation to enhance her NGO and secure financial contributions from the government.
Throughout this harrowing experience, Baba Ijesha stated that several individuals associated with Princess came forward to apologize while he was imprisoned, acknowledging that they had been misled. Yet their confessions had little effect on his legal standing since critical evidence was lost.
He concluded by stating that despite the complex scheming surrounding his case, he has maintained his innocence, particularly regarding accusations of sexual violence against anyone, affirming that the incident was a significant misunderstanding rooted in deception.
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