By: Audrey Raymonda John
Thirty-year-old businesswoman Valentina Norman and twenty-nine-year-old social worker Ansumana Norman have been acquitted and discharged of all charges before Magistrate Mary Julian Gbloh at Pademba Road Court No. 5.
The accused stood trial on three counts malicious damage contrary to Section 51 of the Malicious Damage Act of 1861, use of threatening language contrary to Section 2 of the Public Order Act No. 46 of 1965, and public insult and provocation contrary to Section 2 of the Public Order Act No. 46 of 1965.
According to the particulars of the offence, on Monday, 3rd March 2025, at #37 Spur Road in the Western Area of Freetown, the accused were alleged to have maliciously damaged a wooden door valued at three thousand Leones (3,000), property of John Bonoh Sesay, while in custody of Daniel Remi Turner.
Count two alleged that on the same date and place, the accused used threatening language towards Ibrahim Doen Turay with intent to provoke him to commit a breach of the peace.
Count three stated that on the same date and place, the accused insulted Ibrahim Doen Turay in a manner likely to provoke a breach of peace.
Upon their first appearance, the accused pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Prosecutor Sergeant 3001 Francess Lamin presented her witnesses, while defense counsel Alhaji Arthwah Maddie Esq submitted a no-case submission, prompting the court to withdraw the file for ruling.
On 24th June 2025, Magistrate Gbloh considered the no-case submission filed by the defense in favor of both accused persons regarding all three charges.
The prosecution responded on 1st July 2025, with Sergeant Lamin addressing the court’s request to evaluate the evidence under the Galbraith test and Lord Parker’s practice direction, noting that the prosecution bears the sole responsibility to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt, referencing the legal precedent Woolmington v DPP.
On the malicious damage charge, the prosecution failed to present a prima facie case. Both prosecution witnesses (PW1 and PW2) admitted to leaving the scene when the accused arrived. Additionally, the prosecution did not call the wife of PW1—who made a distress call claiming the accused attempted to break the door—to testify. Neither PW1 nor PW2 witnessed the accused damaging the door. Consequently, both accused were acquitted and discharged on count one.
Regarding the charges of threatening language and public insult and provocation, the prosecution also failed to establish a prima facie case. The evidence was deemed legally insufficient to support a conviction.
Magistrate Gbloh clarified that the ruling does not declare the accused innocent but acknowledges the prosecution’s failure to present sufficient evidence to proceed.
She thus upheld the no-case submission by Alhaji Arthwah Maddie Esq and acquitted and discharged both accused persons on all three counts.