By Andrew Chokpeleh
Freetown, 28th August, 2026 – Lawyers representing Admire Francess Bio – Jalloh and her husband, Dauda Jalloh, alias Dausy, have appealed to the High Court in Freetown to overturn a ruling by Magistrate Brima Jah that committed the couple to stand trial on all eleven counts in the criminal case brought against them.
The application shifts the focus from the allegations to whether the committal proceedings complied with the legal standards required before an accused person can be sent to the High Court for trial.
Lead defence counsel, Melron C. Nicol-Wilson of Nicol-Wilson & Co. (Malaika Chambers), filed an application for judicial review seeking an order of “certiorari” to quash the Magistrate’s decision delivered on 24th August, 2026. The defence argued that the Magistrate refused the couple’s no-case submission and committed them for trial without adequately addressing what it described as the absence and insufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence on each of the eleven charges. The application further asks the High Court to discharge the applicants if the committal decision is set aside.
A central issue raised by the defence concerns the Magistrate’s handling of the no-case submission filed on 10th August, 2026. According to the application, while the ruling summarized the prosecution’s evidence and acknowledged the submissions made by both sides, it failed to examine each count individually or explain how the evidence allegedly established the essential elements of the offences against either accused person. The lawyers contend that a committal decision in a criminal matter must demonstrate a careful assessment of the evidence rather than rely on broad conclusions.
The defence has also asked the High Court to temporarily suspend further proceedings, including preventing the prosecution from filing an indictment or taking additional steps toward trial until the judicial review has been determined.
According to the application, allowing the prosecution to proceed while the legality of the committal is being challenged could undermine the purpose of the review before the High Court has an opportunity to rule on the issues raised.
The application was filed on 26th August, 2026, and a hearing date is yet to be fixed.
Meanwhile, Admire Francess Bio Jalloh and Dauda Jalloh remain on bail as they await the High Court’s determination on whether Magistrate Jah’s committal order should be quashed or allowed to stand. The outcome of the application could clarify the legal threshold required when magistrates determine whether criminal cases should proceed to trial before the High Court.
