Reality TV Star Remanded For Alleged Insult Against President Bio & His Wife

By Fatmata Mohamed Bangura
Reality TV star, Hawa Hunt made another appearance before Magistrate Santigie Bangura of Pademba Road Court No.1 in Freetown on two count charges.
The allegations stem from series of posts Hawa Hunts allegedly made between April 30th 2024, on her Facebook Account: “Hawa Hunt”.
According to the prosecution, these posts contained derogatory remarks aimed at the First Lady, Madam Fatima Jabbie Bio, with the intention of damaging her reputation and potentially inciting public unrest.
On count, that Hawa Hunt posted similar offensive comments against President Julius Maada Bio, again with the alleged intent to tarnish his image.
PW 2 Mohamed Jusu said that he is a police officer at the Criminal Investigation Department and that he is attached at the Cyber Crime Unit, and that he is in charge of all digital devices in the media in the Police Department.
He said that he recognised the accused person through the ongoing matter and recalled that on the 23rd of December 2024 he received a message from Alicious Mosary a Forensics Analysis.
He testified that he downloaded the video with a software called Kash Key which is a tool that help to analyze video and can also tell if the video has been tampered with.
He said that he transcribed the video from Krio to English and put together his report which was witnessed by Detective 6890 Lebbbie Shar.
The video was tendered in court as Exhibit B as requested by the Bench and the video was also played.
Lawyer Rashid told the court that there was no label in the evidence to show that the allegation which they made against the accused person is right and that there is no primary label as statement made by anyone in Police Station.
S. Y Sesay said that the witnesses and the video which was played in court is a clear evidence that the accused person is guilty of the said crime.
Sesay also told the court that the accused person answered to the court that she is the one that made the video.
Lawyer Rashid responded that the said video was not found on the Facebook Account of the accused person but was found on Mama Lucky’s Facebook Account and that no statement was made by any of them.
Lawyer Rashid renewed bail application arguing that his client is a dual citizen of Sierra Leone and Canada.
He assured the court that his client is not a flight risk as her travel documents are in the custody of the police.
S.Y Sesay pleased with the Bench not to give bail to the accused person.
However, Magistrate Santigie Bangura denied bail citing concern about Hawa Hunts potential flight risk due to her ties to Canada and the gravity of the charges she faces. The matter was adjourned to the 17th January 2025.