Appeals Court Judge Justice Tonia Barnett has on Wednesday 4 March, 2025 discharged, Hawa Madina Hunt, who was dragged to court for a cybercrime against the First Lady Fatima Bio and President Julius Maada Bio.

The judge has also ordered that both her Canadian and Sierra Leone passports book should be returned to her.

Hunt was arraigned before the court on two count charges under the Cyber security and Crime Act 2021, Act No. 7 of 2021, for allegedly sending insulting messages via a computer system against the personality of the First Lady of Sierra Leone.

The indictment states that Hunt, between April 1 and April 30, 2024, allegedly used her Facebook account to post messages aimed at insulting the First Lady of Sierra Leone, Madam Fatima Jabbie Bio, and President Julius Maada Bio.

The indictment further statesed that the said posts, shared via social media, are considered to be derogatory and intended to damage the reputations of the president and wife, also meant to provoke a breach of peace, and to cause public apprehension.

After the charges were read and explained to Hawa, she pleaded not guilty of the offense.

The lead prosecutor Yusuf Isaac Sesay said Hunt has been arraigned before the court but they wished to offer no further evidence against her and they asked for a discharged of the matter.

Sesay further submitted that in reaching this stage, the Director of Public Prosecution Osman Kanu, had invoked section 66(4) paragraph C of the constitution of Sierra Leone of 199 which means the DPP has the power to discontinue a matter at any stage before judgement is given.

He said the Director of Public Prosecution has now desires to discontinue the matter that is the state versus Hawa Madina Hunt.

He urged that the judge should discontinue and questionably discharge the matter.

Defense counsel Rashid Dumbuya thanked the Director of Public Prosecution and to extension to the office of the Attorney General for it not to proceed with the matter.

He further pleaded with the judge for her to make an order for her travelling documents being returned to her as they were at the criminal investigation’s department headquarters.

He said the police had both her Canadian and Sierra Leone passports book which should be given to her.

He said at the stage the learned judge should acquit and discharge the matter.

At this juncture, justice Barnett said the matter had not been heard in its full blow, adding that it was the first time the accused was before the court.

She said defense counsel should only ask for a discharged of the accused and not put acquitted to it because the matter has never been heard before the High Court.

She said in this case the court only had the power to discharge a case as it is not barred and so because they could come back, adding that Hunt only took her plea before the court.

State counsel Sesay in reply said they were not opposing to whatever application made by the defense as long as the application did not come with injustice.

After hearing both sides, the learned judge discharged Hunt and ordered that both her Canadian and Sierra Leone passports be given to her.