The High Court of Sierra Leone has ordered a Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) test to be conducted on the minor child of law student Edwina Hawa Jamiru to confirm the paternity claims made by Justice Mohamed Alhassan Momoh-Jah Stevens of the Court of Appeal.

The ruling, dated October 2025 by Justice A.K. Musa(J) in the Family & Probate Division, addresses an originating summons filed by Justice Stevens, who seeks judicial confirmation of whether he is the biological father of the child, born on April 10, 2025.

Justice Stevens’ application for the DNA test is the latest development in a highly public and complex legal saga that has already led to the senior judge being placed on administrative leave by the Chief Justice Komba Kamanda.

The plaintiff, Justice Stevens, sought the following key reliefs from the court:

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  • An order directing a DNA test to be conducted on the minor child to determine paternity.
  • An order compelling the defendant, Edwina Hawa Jamiru, to submit herself and the child for samples to be taken for the test.
  • An order that, should paternity be confirmed, Justice Stevens be responsible for the child’s maintenance and upkeep until the age of 18, with the amount to be determined by the court.
  • Interlocutory and permanent injunctions restraining Ms. Jamiru from publishing or disseminating the contents of the court proceedings, or any matter relating to the case, on social media or other platforms.
  • An interlocutory injunction restraining the defendant from taking any steps or actions capable of injuring the character, reputation, dignity, or privacy of the plaintiff.

The case, filed under the Confirmation of Parentage and Section 83 of the Child Rights Act No. 7 of 2007, will now move forward with the genetic testing mandated by the court.

The case became public in December 2024 when Ms. Jamiru, then 19, circulated a video alleging a long-term romantic relationship with the senior judge, resulting in a pregnancy. She accused him of abandoning her and refusing to take responsibility.

Ms. Jamiru is currently facing separate domestic violence charges—three counts of physical abuse and intimidation—brought against her by Justice Stevens.

The controversy escalated when Ms. Jamiru, following a bench warrant issued for her failure to appear in court on the domestic violence charges, released a video statement labeling the judge a “deadbeat father” in a subsequent video in September 2025 and accusing him of neglecting the child.

In late September, the Chief Justice of Sierra Leone referred the matter to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) and placed Justice Stevens on administrative leave, citing that the media publications surrounding the case had “the tendency to adversely affect the reputation of the Judiciary.”