Nollywood actor Olarewaju James, alias Baba Ijesha, testified in Ikeja Special Crimes Court on Friday that he was acting out a script in the viral video with a minor.
The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reports that Baba Ijesha made this revelation while the defense attorney, Dada Awosika (SAN), was presenting evidence.
Baba Ijesha told the court that the boy’s adoptive mother, Mrs. Damilola Adekoya, a comedian also known as Princess, called him and asked him to be part of the film’s production.
“On April 19, 2021, Princess sent me a message that she wanted to start a production and would like me to play the role of a lover boy, to which I replied ‘okay’.
“She said that she was going to play the role of a lover boy and added that she wanted to surprise people that I can also play normal roles.
“She said that the story is about rape and that she wanted to tell the story in another dimension,” he said.
The defense attorney presented in court a printed copy of the WhatsApp message between Princess and the defendant, which was admitted as evidence by Judge Oluwatoyin Taiwo.
The embattled actor said he asked Princess for the film’s location, but she told him to come to her house.
“Before entering, Princess told me on the balcony that the production of the film was a Lagos state project and added that the state wanted her to be the face of ‘against child abuse.’
“He told me to improvise and create a story by myself. I told him that the house was dark when I entered. She said that we should rehearse that she would use her phone.
“The princess told me to kiss and suck on the girl’s breast, adding that the dress the girl was wearing was on purpose for the role the girl wanted to play.
“He would walk out of the room so the kid wouldn’t be embarrassed to play the role.
“All those things that we are seeing in that video are just acting. My lord, check my record when it comes to acting, I can kill myself and die for acting. She was the one who directed and shot my angles,” she said.
Baba Ijesha told the court that he and Princess were the directors of the film, adding that she told him that he could also act out the scene in the kitchen.
“He told me I could go to the kitchen too. She said to the girl in question, remember what I told you, when you leave the room now, play your part perfectly.
“The girl took my shoe off and I started to play my part. I had an affair with her based on the movie role that Princess gave me.
“While I was performing with the girl, kissing and licking her fingers, I was also whispering ‘hey, don’t look at the camera.’
“All of a sudden, I saw eight people, including Princess, come into the room and start beating up the girl.
“I even thought it was part of acting. She hit her and said ‘you idiot, that’s what I asked you to do’. One of the men hit me and claimed that I raped the girl,” she said.
The defendant also told the court that he was shocked when he was beaten and thought the men who beat him up were amateur actors because they were not meant to use actual physical violence in movie scenes.
Baba Ijesha said that Princess forced him in one of the viral videos to admit that he desecrated the minor.
The princess said “you know I love you, just tell me seven years ago you used your car key to deflower the girl” that she would let me go if I told her.
“I had to agree under pressure so that the men would not hurt me further, after Princess invited a police officer named Abigail, before they took me to the Sabo police station,” he told the court.
The defendant said that he was forced to sign a statement that he had not written at the police station.
“The statement in question profiled me because I have all my information online and Princess knows all my information as well.
“Immediately, Abigail asked me to sign and I did, she took me back to the cell and I stayed there until the next morning,” he said.
During cross-examination by the director of the Lagos State Public Ministry, Dr. Babajide Martins, the accused admitted having known the girl since she was seven years old.
He added that he did not inform the Sabo and Panti Police, respectively, that they were acting.
“I did not inform the police that we were acting because I was not myself.
“I also didn’t inform them at the two police stations that Princess and I had a relationship,” he said.
Probing further at Baba Ijesha, Martins said: “While they were beating you, you said you thought they were amateur actors because of the actual violence.
“Since you said it was a movie script, then you don’t intend to imitate sexual assault on an underage child?”
Baba Ijesha in his reply said that the scenes he acted out with the minor were appropriate.
The defendant faces a six-count charge bordering on indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted penetrative sexual assault, and penetrative sexual assault.
Judge Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned the case until March 11 to continue with the defense.