By Mamajah Jalloh
The high-profile cybercrime matter of Hawa Madiana Hunt was committed to the High Court of Sierra Leone for further proceedings as she faced preliminary investigation before magistrates Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.2 Wednesday, 22nd January, 2025, on allegations of using computer system to insult President Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Jabbie Bio.
According to the police charge sheet, the accused, on different dates between the 1st and 30th April, 2024, sent insulting messages via a computer system, stemming from Facebook posts.
Count two further indicated that on the same date and place, the accused posted a video targeting the First Lady and President Bio, by inciting public disturbance and harmed their reputations.
The accused changed her initial statement at the police custody for her trial to proceed to High Court.
The Lead defence counsel, Rashid Dumbuya, cited procedural irregularities, and accused the prosecution of persecuting his client rather than prosecuting the matter.
Dumbuya submitted that there is a “lack of sufficiency of evidence to warrant a committal of the matter to the High Court, raising jurisdictional issues and stating that his client was brought to the wrong court.
The State Counsel, Yusif Isaac Sesay, stated that the defence has misconstrued Section 17 of the Cyber Security and Crime Act, and submitted that preliminary investigation is one of the vehicles used to approach the High Court.
The defence counsel applied for bail that the passport of the accused had been seized and they would produce house documents and reliable sureties to arraign themselves.
He noted that she would report herself on a daily basis, and if failed, would be arrested.
The state prosecutor refused bail based on the fact that she has case which made her a flight risk and would jump bail.
Magistrate Bangura maintained that there is an existence of evidence in the video clip and did not see any misappropriation.
He ruled that the defence counsel apply for bail in High Court.
