Baba Ijesha: Why survivor, Princess’ forensic interview is unconvincing – Expert

The embattled Yoruba actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, also known as Baba Ijesha, led by his lawyer Dada Awoshika, at the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, on Friday, cross-examined the forensic interview conducted by The Cece Yara Foundation.

The defence counsel invited Olubenmi Olukolade, a clinical psychologist expert, to examine the forensic interview which was presented to the court by the prosecution counsel at the initial stage of the trial.

Baba Ijesha has been enmeshed in a messy rape trial since April 22, for allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old foster daughter of his colleague, Damilola Daramola, popularly called Princess.

Since the defence counsel opened their arguments, Mr Olukolade would be the third witness presented to the court after Baba Ijesha had testified that his alleged love affair with Princess landed him in the ongoing rape mess.

Forensic interview

The prosecution counsel presented a forensic interview to the court in September 2021.

The forensic interview was conducted by Olabisi Ajayi-Kayode, a forensic interview specialist, a legal practitioner and cutive Director of The Cece Yara Foundation.

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In the interview, which was played in the court via a computer and projector, Mrs Ajayi-Kayode had engaged the survivor, 14-year-old Bukumi, in an interactive section where she recounted how Baba Ijesha allegedly sexually assaulted her twice.

Alleged loopholes

After replaying the forensic interview in the court on Friday, Mr Olukolade, the psychologist expert, explained from his professional point of view, what he felt was not right with the video.

Mr Olukolade said the survivor recounted an incident that occurred seven years ago as though it was recent.

Citing the cognitive developmental stages of a child, he explained that the survivor was too explicit with her account of what had happened in the past seven years.

He listed the four developmental stages of a child’s cognitive capacity as the: Sensorimotor stage: which is from birth to 2 years, Preoperational stage: ages 2 to 7, the Concrete operational stage: ages 7 to 11 and the Formal operational stage, which is from 11 till adulthood.

Mr Olukolade said, “As at (of) when the event occurred, the survivor was only at the second stage of her cognitive development, and could not have been so concrete with the account she gave.”

The expert also faulted the survivor’s account, noting that if the survivor was traumatised as claimed, she would not be ‘comfortable’ around Baba Ijesha.

He said according to the forensic interview, the survivor said that after Baba finished assaulting her, he asked her to clean herself up and when she finished cleaning up, she returned to the room where Baba Ijesha was.

He said it ought not to be so, judging from a psychological standpoint, for children of that age, once they perceive someone as a threat to them, they tend to hide away from such a person.

He said that under normal circumstances the minor was supposed to return to her room or her mother’s room and was not supposed to return to Baba Ijesha.

The case was adjourned to April 1, 2022.

Offence

Baba Ijesha, who was arraigned on June 24, is being charged with six counts bordering on the alleged rape of a minor.

The six-count includes that of sexual assault by penetration, indecent treatment of a child, and sexual assault, which contravene sections 259, 135, and 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011, as well as 135, 263, and 262 Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

Baba Ijesha had, however, employed the services of two Senior Advocates of Nigeria – Dada Awosika and Babatunde Ogala, and other lawyers to defend him.