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The daughter of Hawa Hunt, a dual Canadian-Sierra Leonean fitness and wellbeing influencer imprisoned in Sierra Leone, has made a heartfelt plea on social media to First Lady Fatima Bio for her mother’s release.
“First Lady Fatima Maada Bio Julius Maada Bio, please have mercy on my mom. Me and my brothers miss her dearly,” Alicia Hunt wrote on Facebook.
Hawa Hunt, known for her online presence with over 100,000 followers, was arrested live on the reality TV show “House of Stars” on December 22nd. Her arrest stems from comments she made on social media in May 2023 criticizing President Julius Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Maada Bio.
She now faces charges of “transmitting insulting messages via a computer system” under Sierra Leone’s Cybersecurity and Crime Act 2021. Prosecutors allege her video incited public disorder and defamed the president and his wife.
Conflicting reports surround the issue of bail. While the Director of Communications at the Office of the President claims Hunt was granted bail but failed to meet the conditions, requiring a surety with property in the Central Business District, Mamy Thomas Comedian, who is rumored to have a relationship with Hunt, disputes this. Thomas insists that the court has never granted her bail and has challenged authorities to provide proof.
Alicia Hunt has expressed deep concern for her mother’s well-being. Speaking from Calgary, she described limited and distressing contact with her mother, allowed only in the presence of prison guards.
Alicia told The Guardian about “horrific conditions” her mother described, including bedbug and mosquito infestations, and minimal, barely edible food. She also relayed her mother’s account of regular beatings in prison. “There is absolutely no excuse for anyone laying a hand on my mother or any other prisoner,” Alicia stated.
Alicia believes the arrest is politically motivated, suggesting that her mother’s past interactions with the First Lady, including being schoolmates, played a role. “I think this was planned,” she stated. “Once they knew she was going to be on ‘House of Stars,’ they saw it as an opportunity to arrest her live on national television, making an example of her to silence others critical of the government.”
Human rights organization Amnesty International has raised concerns about the law used to prosecute Hawa Hunt, citing previous cases of potential violations of freedom of expression. Alimatu Dimonekene, a women and girls’ rights advocate, expressed worry about the government’s use of the law to suppress dissent.
My sister that how the SLPP government has been our brothers spent 42 days in police cell without charging them to court. When ever we went there the AIG will tell us that order from the above.
@AGeorge – Please clarify for us – did Ms. Hunt criticize or verbally insult Mrs. B-10? Would you praise Ms. Hunt’s language if she direct it at someone close to you? If she regrets her actions, as some have claimed, and others have ventured to apologize on her behalf, what is stopping her from doing the same?
Alice is not ready to ask for forgiveness for her mother because she is still terming the situation to be political motivated. I want to ask Alice if her mother was verbally molested on social media like what her mother ( Hawa) did, is she going to take it lightly? I believe the answer is no. Let her mother learnt a lesson from this and try to be more decent in her words.
Interesting though. Some people that were born in Sierra Leone, I am really sorry to say this, they are not fit to be a Sierra Leoneans. If you really don’t have anything to give to Sierra Leone to better the country, why don’t you pray to God that someone else would do something to better our belove country Sierra Leone. You disgusted people respect your white slaves masters and there western world. But you don’t respect someone in your place of birth. Leaders for that matter. Abuse him or her, their wives and husbands or paying the uneducated ones to commit coup or kill their supporters. This is wrong. Now every bush pigs 🐖 have got into the band wagons to plead for them. I am a Sierra Leonean and I loved my people, and my country. “Call spade a spade”. Some people are just not fit to be a Sierra Leoneans. Bad heart. Period. Please, do better to better Sierra Leone. Tell me if I am wrong. I will accept it. But I believe my opinions. With no malice. This is what you will call democracy. God bless Sierra Leone and our president.
Hmmm