Olanrewaju James, also known as Baba Ijesha, submitted a bail application, and an Ikeja Extraordinary Offenses Court will decide on Monday if the defendant has special circumstances that warrant the court’s granting him bail.
After hearing from the defence and prosecution attorneys, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo set the date.
The bail application follows the five-year concurrent jail sentence that Justice Taiwo imposed on Baba Ijesha in his original jail sentence.
His legal team is there in court, nevertheless, to challenge the verdict.
When the issue was discussed on Wednesday, Chukwudi Adiukwu, one of the defendant’s attorneys, informed the court that the team had brought to notice for bail pending the appeal in accordance with Section 6(6) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 51 of the High Court Law of Lagos State, Administration of Criminal Justice Law, admitting the applicant to bail, either unconditionally or subject to reasonable conditions.
Regarding the unique circumstances, Adiukwu said that the application was made before Justice Taiwo since getting a date at the Court of Appeal could be challenging given the volume of cases the court is currently hearing.
He stated that with the prison month calendar, the convict would have served his five years concurrent jail term within three years and six months before the hearing might take place at the Appeal Court.
He added that Baba Ijesha was of good conduct before the court during his trial, and was never absent till the judgement.
He, therefore, urged the court to consider the special circumstances to grant bail to the convict.
Reacting to this, the state prosecuting counsel, Omowunmi Bajulaye-Bishi, said the defence counsel in their address failed to establish the special circumstances which may grant Baba Ijesha bail; therefore asking the court not to grant bail to the convict.
Justice Taiwo adjourned to September 19, 2022, for ruling.
