Lawyers for Admire Francess Bio-Jalloh, popularly called “Mama of Freetown” and niece of President Julius Maada Bio, and her husband Dauda Jalloh, also known as Alhaji Dausy, have gone to the High Court in Freetown.
They want the court to cancel a decision made by Magistrate Brima Jah that sent them for trial on 11 charges.
Last month, Magistrate Jah at Pademba Road Court No. 1 rejected their request to drop the case. He said the prosecution brought enough evidence for the couple to answer to the charges. The matter was then sent to the High Court for trial. 1977
The charges are linked to an alleged $210,000 gold fraud involving two Italian men in August 2025. The 11 charges include conspiracy to defraud, getting money by false pretence, money laundering, and selling minerals without permission. 1977
Lead lawyer Melron C. Nicol-Wilson filed papers on August 26, 2026 asking the High Court to throw out Magistrate Jah’s decision.
The defence team argues that the Magistrate did not look properly at the evidence before saying the case should go to trial. They say he mentioned the 11 charges and the 3 prosecution witnesses, but did not explain how the evidence proved each charge against Admire and Dauda individually.
Because of this, the lawyers want the High Court to:
1. Cancel the Magistrate’s ruling and free the couple right away
2. Stop any further steps in the trial, like filing formal charges, until the High Court makes a decision
The couple are still on bail with strict conditions. No date has been set yet for the High Court hearing.
The case has attracted public attention because of the people involved and the Italian businessmen named in the complaint.
The accused maintain they are innocent until proven guilty.
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