A mother and her two daughters, Emile Gbaow, 51, Joyah Tarawally, 18, and Esther Tarawally, 20, have been granted bail after appearing before Magistrate Mustapha Briama Jah at Pademba Road Court No. 1 in Freetown. They are facing a three-count charge in connection with an alleged incident involving Isatu Timbo on January 7, 2026. The charges include alleged wounding, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and public insult and provocation.
According to the prosecution, the accused allegedly maliciously wounded and assaulted Timbo, causing her actual bodily harm. They are also accused of using insulting words in public with the intention of provoking a breach of the peace. When the charges were read in court, all three defendants pleaded not guilty. This led to prosecutor DPC Brima Kargbo requesting a short adjournment to allow the defence to receive copies of the complete case file and other inquiry materials.
Defence counsel A. R. Gbla subsequently applied for bail under Section 76(1)(c) of the Criminal Procedure Act 2024. He told the court that the accused are permanent residents of Sierra Leone within the court’s jurisdiction and would not interfere with prosecution witnesses. This application was granted by Magistrate Jah, who set the bail at SLE 20,000 for each of the three accused, with one surety in a similar amount for each defendant.
The court further ordered that each surety must reside within the Freetown jurisdiction, produce valid identification, and obtain approval from the Deputy Assistant Registrar. The matter has been adjourned to October 5, 2026, for further proceedings. The allegations against the three defendants remain before the court and have yet to be determined. The accused were granted bail on September 29, 2026.
The incident occurred on January 7, 2026, in the Western Area of Freetown. The prosecution's case against the accused is based on the alleged malicious wounding and assault of Isatu Timbo, as well as the use of insulting words in public. The court has set a date for further proceedings, and the accused will be required to appear again on October 5, 2026.
The granting of bail to the accused has been seen as a significant development in the case. The accused's lawyer, A. R. Gbla, argued that his clients are innocent until proven guilty and should be given the opportunity to prepare their defence. The prosecution will need to present its case against the accused in court, and the defence will have the opportunity to respond to the allegations.
The case has garnered attention in Sierra Leone, with many following the developments closely. The allegations against the accused are serious, and the court will need to carefully consider the evidence presented in determining their guilt or innocence. The accused will remain on bail until the next hearing, and the court will review the case again on October 5, 2026.
Key points
- The accused, a mother and her two daughters, have been granted bail in connection with an alleged assault incident in Freetown.
- The allegations against the accused include malicious wounding, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and public insult and provocation.
- The case has been adjourned to October 5, 2026, for further proceedings.
