EXCLUSIVE: Baba Ijesha Reserves Right To Fair Hearing, Yomi Fabiyi Insists

Nigerian Actor, Yomi Fabiyi has maintained that colleague, Olarenwaju James Omiyinka, popularly known as 'Baba Ijesha' is entitled in full equality to a fair hearing by an independent and impartial court of law.

According to Fabiyi in an exclusive interview with AllNews on Wednesday, notwithstanding the allegation and purported proof of the offence of sexual assault against Baba Ijesha, he shouldn't be sentenced on the internet.

“Immediately people realised that Baba Ijesha has been arrested, people were like, ‘you have Break The Silence Foundation, but you are silent’. You are not ‘breaking’ it (the silence) because he is your colleague,” Fabiyi told AllNews via telephone.

“I allowed it time. And I said ‘okay, you know what guys?’ I released a statement...

“As a vanguard of human rights, a minor reserves the right that his or her identity should be protected.

“Of course, anybody might stumble into an adult molesting a minor, record it, and the next it might find its way to the social media.

“The person might not censor the video to protect the identity of the victim.”

Yomi Fabiyi

Fabiyi reiterated that he was not asking for the video of where the young girl was being touched indecently by Baba Ijesha to be put out.

“However, it is totally wrong to assume that I am asking for the video.

“I am replying rhetorically to those that were saying that you were silent.

“Maliciously, somebody now picked, isolated the video part, and said ‘why would you want to see?’

“If you don't want me to see, don't ask me to judge. I am an adult.

“‘Eni ti a n so yi [the person we are talking about], is a suspect. He reserves the right to be heard, and for fair hearing.

“I am not going to be part of a society that rush to judgement. It is killing, it is damaging.

“The only thing that would make me feel different with everything going on is my conscience.

“I believe rape is a scourge. All of us must be united to fight it. And nothing has suggested that at this stage of my career, I support it.”

READ ALSO: EXCLUSIVE: Why I Will Not Judge Baba Ijesha — Yomi Fabiyi

Background

AllNews reported on Wednesday that Fabiyi clarified that he did not assert that Baba Ijesha is not a rapist, neither did he posit that the victim is mendacious.

Fabiyi as well denied asking for the CCTV clip of the teenager being sexually molested to be made public, ostensibly to serve as evidence.

Recall that actress Iyabo Ojo had seriously lambasted Fabiyi over the comments he made on social media purportedly sympathising with Baba Ijesha who has been arrested for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old girl.

Fabiyi's post came after Lagos police revealed in a statement not long ago that Baba Ijesha, 48, confessed to the crime of molestation and was caught on CCTV.

Fabiyi released a post on Monday asking his colleagues not to jump to conclusions. He was widely reported to have demanded evidence first.

Fabiyi’s Instagram post earlier this week did not go down well with many people in the film industry - and in fact Nigerians at large.

Earlier on Wednesday, a teary Princess, a popular Nigerian Comedienne, released a video where she expressed her extreme sadness.

According to Princess who is the foster parent of the victim, Baba Ijesha sexually assaulted the girl more than once.

The victim opened up about the incident recently at the age of 14.

At this point, Princess said she put up a CCTV camera in the house and alleged it captured Baba Ijesha sexually harassing the girl. She says that when he was confronted, he confessed and blamed on the devil.

After this video by Princess, Iyabo Ojo took to her verified Instagram page on Wednesday to address the rape issue once more. This time, vehemently attacking Fabiyi.

But speaking to AllNews on Wednesday evening, Fabiyi, the President of Break The Silence Foundation, an NGO, said he was misconstrued by many.

"Every lie has an expiry date. Providence will deal with some certain things. If the media can be honest to themselves, they [will] see that the only thing there is that I have only said my personal opinion, which is safer and conscious.

"I did not say 'he [Baba Ijesha]] is not a rapist', or the girl is lying, or nothing - nothing like that.”

Meanwhile, Iyabo Ojo on Thursday, released a video of Baba Ijesha making confession.

Same day, chaos erupted at Panti over the reported plan by Lagos Police to release Baba Ijesha tomorrow (Friday).

Nigerian celebrities reportedly stormed the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Panti over alleged plans to release Baba Ijesha on bail amidst the rape allegations levelled against him.

READ ALSO: Rape: Lawyer Blames Low Conviction Rate On Unwillingness Of Victims To Testify