On Wednesday, March 4, 2025, Justice Tonia Barnett of the Appeal Court discharged reality TV star Hawa Madina Hunt, who faced cybercrime charges against First Lady Fatima Bio and President Julius Maada Bio.
The judge also ordered the return of both Hunt’s Canadian and Sierra Leone passports.
Hunt was previously arraigned on two counts under the Cybersecurity and Crime Act 2021, Act No. 7 of 2021, for allegedly sending insulting messages via a computer system. She had been in detention for several months prior to her release.
The indictment states that between April 1 and April 30, 2024, Hunt allegedly used her Facebook account to post derogatory messages aimed at insulting the First Lady and the President. These posts, shared on social media, were said to be intended to damage their reputations, provoke breaches of the peace, and incite public apprehension.
Upon her arraignment, Hunt pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Lead Prosecutor Yusuf Isaac Sesay informed the court that they wished to offer no further evidence against Hunt and requested that the matter be discharged. He referenced Section 66(4)(C) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, which allows the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to discontinue a matter at any stage before judgment is reached.
The DPP, Osman Kanu, expressed the desire to discontinue proceedings in the case of The State versus Hawa Madina Hunt, prompting the prosecutor to urge the judge to grant the discharge.
In response, Defense Counsel Rashid Dumbuya thanked the DPP and the Attorney General’s office for dropping the charges.
He requested the judge to order the return of Hunt’s traveling documents, which are currently held by the Criminal Investigation Department.
Following the defense’s remarks, Justice Barnett noted that the matter had not been fully heard, as this was Hunt’s first appearance in court. She clarified that the defense should request a discharge rather than an acquittal, since the case had not yet been considered in its entirety in the High Court.
State Counsel Sesay indicated that the prosecution would not oppose the defense’s application as long as it did not result in injustice.
After considering both sides, the judge discharged Hunt and ordered that her traveling documents be returned.
