BEVERLY HILLS, May 22, (THEWILL) – Baba Ijesha, embattled Nollywood actor, has stated that Adesina Ogunlana, former Ikeja Branch Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), is not his counsel.
THEWILL recalls that the actor was arrested and detained by the Lagos state police after he was alleged to have sexually assaulted a minor at 7 and 14.
During the visit of magistrates in charge of prison decongestion, the actor was later granted bail on May 17 after he had spent about 25 days in police detention.
Ogunlana had on numerous occasions stated that he was the lawyer of the actor and recently berated the police for not releasing him despite being granted bail.
However, according to NAN, the actor, in a disclaimer on Saturday, disclosed that he never engaged Ogunlana to act as his legal representative.
He said: “I wish to state categorically and emphatically that I have never briefed the lawyer nor instructed him to act on my behalf in any way, or manner howsoever and whatsoever.
“He (Ogunlana) is not my lawyer, and whatever you heard or hear from him concerning my lawyers, the police or court case does not represent the true position. He has been acting without my knowledge or consent.”
Ogunlana had earlier claimed that the Lagos police’s decision to monetise the film star’s release prevented his bail.
But in the disclaimer, the actor disclosed that the police never demanded money to grant him bail as earlier alleged by Ogunlana.
“This is aside from the N500,000 refundable bail bond which formed part of my bail conditions ordered by the court. The bail bond is payable to the court registry’s account and not the police account,” he said.
Also speaking, Kayode Olabiran, the actor’s counsel, disclosed that although his client had fulfilled all the bail conditions, he had yet to be formally released by the Judiciary.
He explained: “He is not out of police custody, we are hoping that the Judiciary, the team from the Lagos State Ministry of Justice and Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution will come again to Panti next week.
“It is one thing to be granted bail and another for your release to be ordered upon meeting all the conditions.
“That is the point we are now. We are waiting for them (the Judiciary) to come so we will present all the documents and his release will be ordered.”
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