Mother, Daughter, and Man Face High Court Trial Over Hannah Williams Murder Case

A mother, her daughter, and another man accused of conspiring to murder Hannah Williams have been committed to the High Court in Freetown for trial after a ruling by Principal Magistrate Briam Jah.

The accused persons 61-year-old businesswoman Sylvia Wlatee, her 24-year-old daughter Esther Wlatee, a petty trader, and 41-year-old Milton Brown are facing two serious charges: conspiracy to murder and murder.

The charges are brought under Section 4 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 for conspiracy to murder, and Section 1 of the same Act, which has since been repealed and replaced by Section 1(a) of the Schedule to the Abolition of the Death Penalty Act 2021, Act No. 6 of 2022, for murder.

Delivering his ruling, Magistrate Briam Jah said that after reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecution, he was satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to commit the accused persons to the High Court for trial.

According to the particulars of the offence, the accused allegedly conspired with unknown persons to murder Hannah Williams on Thursday, 11th June 2026, at No. 12 Settra Kroo Street, Western Area, Freetown.

The second count alleges that the accused persons directly murdered Williams at the same location and on the same date.

The charges were read and explained to the accused persons, but they did not enter a plea, as the proceedings before the Magistrate Court were only for committal to the High Court.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Eric Deen, Esq., represented the prosecution, while lawyer M. Sesay, Esq., appeared for all three accused persons.

Magistrate Jah refused bail and ordered that the accused be committed to the High Court in Freetown for trial. They were subsequently remanded to the Male and Female Correctional Centres in Freetown, where they will remain pending further proceedings.