Freetown, Sierra Leone – December 11, 2025 – In a development underscoring Sierra Leone’s intensifying crackdown on online misconduct, authorities have taken Edwina Hawa Jamiru, a promising 21-year-old law student at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, into custody on suspicion of cyber-related offenses.
The arrest, confirmed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Brima Kamara, Head of Police Media, highlights the nation’s evolving digital policing landscape.
ACP Kamara, speaking exclusively to Liberty Online TV, described the allegations as involving potential violations under the Cybersecurity and Cybercrimes Act of 2021, which criminalizes activities like unauthorized data access, cyberbullying, and spreading false information online.
Enacted to combat the surge in digital threats, the law has seen increased enforcement since 2022, with the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) Cyber Unit retrieving stolen devices and pursuing high-profile cases.
Jamiru was reportedly detained following a complaint lodged via the unit’s tip line, though specifics remain sealed pending investigation.
This arrest comes amid Jamiru’s explosive high-profile legal battle with suspended Court of Appeal Judge, Momoh-Jah Stevens, her former lecturer and the confirmed father of her six-month-old child. What began as a mentorship in late 2024 allegedly turned abusive, with Jamiru accusing Stevens of grooming and sexual exploitation in viral December 2024 statements.
She detailed emotional manipulation, repeated assaults, and abandonment upon her pregnancy discovery in early 2025, branding him a “deadbeat father” in online videos.
Tensions escalated in September 2025 when Stevens filed domestic violence charges against Jamiru, alleging physical abuse and intimidation, leading to her initial arrest on a bench warrant.
Chief Justice Komba Kamanda suspended Stevens on September 29 amid public outcry. High Court-ordered DNA tests in October confirmed paternity with 99.999% certainty, mandating child support.
Jamiru’s public testimonies, including a November 7 church address claiming she was treated “like a sex toy,” intensified scrutiny on judicial ethics. Fourah Bay College launched a misconduct probe into Stevens, while women’s rights groups decried power imbalances.
The Female in Africa Organization’s Sierra Leone chapter, rallying for Jamiru, now fears the cyber charges, potentially tied to her social media posts, represent retaliation to silence her activism.
“This is systematic abuse,” a spokesperson said, urging due process. Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) advocates highlight procedural risks in such detentions.
Police assure transparency, with ACP Kamara emphasizing commitment to due process.
