Baba Ijesha told the court that the foster mother of the minor, Princess, had called and requested him to be part of the movie production.
“On April 19, 2021, Princess sent me a message that she wanted to start a production and she would like me to play the role of a lover boy which I replied ‘okay’.
“She said the story is about rape and she wanted to tell the story in another dimension,”.
The defence counsel tendered before the court, a printout of WhatsApp message between Princess and the defendant, which was admitted into evidence by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo.
“I asked for the movie location but she told me to come over to her house.”
“Before I entered, Princess met me at the balcony that the movie production was a Lagos State project, adding that the state wanted her to be the face of ‘anti child molestation.’
“She told me to improvise and create a story by myself. I told her the house was dark when I entered. She said we should rehearse that she would use her phone.
“Princess told me to kiss and suck the breast of the child, adding that the dress the girl was wearing was purposely for the role the girl wanted to play.
“She would leave the room so that the child would not be shy to play out the role.
“All those things we are seeing in that video is just acting. My lord check my record when it comes to acting, I can kill myself and die for acting. She was the one directing and filming my angles,” he said.
Baba Ijesha told the court that himself and Princess were directors of the movie, adding that she told him he could act out the scene in the kitchen as well.
“She told me I could go into the kitchen as well. She told the girl in question you remember what I told you, when I leave the room now, act out your role perfectly.
“The girl removed my shoe and I started acting out my role. I romanced her based on the movie role Princess gave me.
“As I was acting with the girl, kissing and licking her fingers, I was also whispering to her ‘hey do not look at the camera’.
“Suddenly, I saw like eight people including Princess, entered the room and started beating her”.