Nollywood actor Olanrewaju Omiyinka, widely known as Baba Ijesha, has reportedly walked out of prison after an appeal court cleared him of the charges that led to his imprisonment.
The update was shared by his colleague and close associate, Yomi Fabiyi, who announced the development on Instagram on Friday. According to him, the actor was released after the appellate court nullified his conviction related to the sexual assault of a minor — a case that had kept him behind bars for over three years.
Fabiyi, expressing relief over the court’s ruling, wrote: “You are now officially FREE AND OUT. Baba Ijesha is not just back but BETTER.”
He added that the appeal court exonerated the embattled actor of claims that he had any sexual encounter with a minor, saying, “I am also happy you were cleared by the APPEAL COURT of ever having sex/defile any child/minor. The 7-year-old story is a charade. We live in a terrible world, where sentiments and wickedness rise above the rule of law and truth.”
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Baba Ijesha had been arraigned on June 24, 2021, on a six-count charge involving indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration, and sexual assault by penetration.
A Lagos high court later handed him a 16-year sentence on July 14, 2022, with the prison terms to run concurrently — translating to a five-year effective jail term.
In April 2024, the actor sought to overturn the judgment, insisting he was framed and was only “acting according to a script” given to him by a colleague.
His release marks a significant turn in a case that dominated headlines for years.