Humunatu Agnes Gbla, a 33-year-old businesswoman, appeared before Magistrate Sahr Kekura at Pademba Road Court No. 1 on Friday 21st March 2025 committed to High Court. She is facing three charges; causing grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The prosecution alleges that on August 7th 2024, at Parsonage Street, Kissy, Western Area, Freetown, Gbla intentionally inflicted grievous bodily harm on Ibrahim Habib Tarawalie. She is also accused of malicious wounding and assaulting him, causing serious injuries.

When the charges were read and explained to the accused on her first appearance no plea was taken.

The prosecutor, Inspector Sellu TAP in a bid to establish sufficient evidence against the accused called four witnesses including the formal witness who tendered various exhibits in respect of all prosecution witnesses and they were cross-examined by the defense counsel A. Freeman Esq. and the file was withdrawn for ruling.

Magistrate Kekura in his ruling said the prosecution and the defense have closed their cases and his responsibility now was to examine the evidence adduced before him in its entirety including the statement made by the accused to the police if there was sufficient evidence led against the accused and the matter was committed to the High Court pursuant to section 120 of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965 if there was sufficient evidence adduced against the accused the matter will be discharged pursuant to section 118 of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965. Magistrate Kekura further stated that the accused in her statement made to the police admitted that the allegation made against her was true. Furthermore, during cross examination it was put to the accused that she told the court that she used knife to stab the complainant and she answered in the affirmative. He also indicated that the endorsed medical report of the complainant that there was a major laceration on the complainant the evidence of the prosecution witnesses convinced him that the accused person has a case to answer. He therefore committed the matter to the High Court pursuant to section 120 of the Criminal Procedure Act No.32 of 1965 and the bail for the accused continues.