Alpha Amadu Jalloh: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 01 June 2025:
In recent months, Sierra Leone has witnessed a disturbing contrast in its pursuit of justice. While the government moves swiftly to arrest alleged coup plotters, it remains suspiciously hesitant to take action against Jos Leijdekkers, a convicted Dutch drug trafficker who is reported to be living openly in the country.
This glaring double standard not only exposes the fragility of Sierra Leone’s legal system but also raises serious questions about the credibility and motives of those entrusted with enforcing the law.
Jos Leijdekkers, widely known as Bolle Jos, was sentenced in absentia by a Dutch court to twenty-four years in prison for trafficking over seven tonnes of cocaine into Europe. An international arrest warrant has been issued for him, along with a reward of two hundred thousand euros for information leading to his capture.
Despite this, Leijdekkers has lived comfortably in Sierra Leone for more than two years.
His presence in the country was confirmed inadvertently when Sierra Leone’s First Lady posted a video of her New Year’s Day church service online, showing Leijdekkers in attendance alongside members of the presidential family. The images sparked outrage across Europe and prompted an official request from the Dutch government for Leijdekkers’ immediate extradition.
Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel expressed his country’s concern, stating, “I hope for swift action from the authorities of Sierra Leone and to find them on our side in this fight against international organized crime.”
The Dutch media, including De Telegraaf and NRC Handelsblad, have published extensive reports detailing Leijdekkers’ operations in the Netherlands and his suspected protection by political elites in Sierra Leone. The Guardian also covered the story, outlining how this drug lord flaunted his freedom in Sierra Leone while Dutch prosecutors remain frustrated at the lack of cooperation.
Despite receiving the formal extradition request, Sierra Leone’s Attorney General, Alpha Sesay, offered a lukewarm response. He acknowledged the documents but insisted that the matter was still under police investigation.
This delay, many believe, is a tactic to stall justice and protect individuals close to the corridors of power. Even more troubling is the allegation that Jos Leijdekkers has been romantically involved with Agnes Bio, the daughter of President Julius Maada Bio. This relationship, if proven, may explain why the Sierra Leonean government is dragging its feet.
Furthermore, Leijdekkers was seen at a birthday event hosted for the country’s top immigration boss Alusine Kanneh, who was later removed from office after increased scrutiny of his connection to the fugitive.
What is even more shocking is the latest disclosure by the Dutch government. A scheduled meeting between Dutch officials and their Sierra Leonean counterparts to discuss Leijdekkers’ arrest and extradition was abruptly cancelled.
According to sources within the Dutch Ministry of Justice, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General pulled out at the last minute. This unexplained withdrawal casts a heavy shadow over Sierra Leone’s intentions and adds weight to claims that the fugitive enjoys high-level protection.
No reasonable explanation has been provided for this diplomatic snub. Who authorized the withdrawal? What instructions were issued and by whom? These are questions that demand answers.
Equally disturbing is the reported bribery and intimidation of journalists in Sierra Leone who have attempted to report on the Leijdekkers affair. Investigative journalists have been silenced, threatened, and warned against publishing stories linking the Dutch criminal to the First Family.
The silence in the media landscape is not accidental. It is a calculated suppression of truth. This culture of fear and censorship erodes public confidence in the media and sets a dangerous precedent where truth becomes the casualty of power.
The Sierra Leonean police, who seem so eager to round up supposed coup plotters, appear blind and deaf when it comes to Leijdekkers. Their silence is deafening. Their inaction borders on complicity.
If a man wanted across Europe for billions in drug trafficking and linked to international criminal networks can find safety and comfort in Sierra Leone, then what kind of justice system are we running? How can a nation pride itself on upholding the rule of law while allowing criminals to walk freely simply because they are close to power?
This government is slowly dragging all of us into a black hole. A hole where criminals become heroes and the law is used only to target opponents and scapegoats. The Dutch have done their part. They have named, shamed, and demanded justice.
It is now Sierra Leone’s turn to show the world whether it is a state that respects law and order or one that shelters criminals and undermines international cooperation.
Let it be known that no amount of media silence or political maneuvering will make this matter disappear. The world is watching. The people are watching. And those who are protecting this criminal will one day be held accountable, not only by the laws they are mocking but by history itself.
If Sierra Leone does not act with integrity and urgency, then we are all in danger of becoming accomplices in a state-sponsored betrayal of justice.
By continuing to allow Jos Leijdekkers to evade justice under their protection, this government confirms what many of us have long feared. That the police are not only compromised but complicit. That corruption has reached the top. And that the nation’s future is being auctioned off to protect a few at the expense of millions.
Legally, Sierra Leone has no extradition treaty with the Netherlands.
Well, the “masters and rulers of its world” have designated Salone a narco state. Hence, the travel restrictions for the current elites. Arguably, it’s not rocket science!