By Alusine Sesay
President Bio’s alleged in-law, Jos Leijdekkers, has brought serious embarrassment to the country
The Dutch Government, through its Foreign Affairs Minister, has confirmed delivering a letter of request to extradite one of Europe’s most wanted criminals, Jos Leijdekkers, convicted of drug trafficking and other related offense.
Although the Sierra Leone Government is yet to confirm whether it has received the said letter from the Dutch Government, but commentaries monitored on social media suggest that government had received the request and may not be willing to hand in the man.
Arguments are that the Dutch Government had declined a request made by the Government of Sierra Leone to extradite Adebayor,a popular social media commentator linked to the opposition, who had been declared wanted for inciting violence, especially in relation to the August 10 protest in which some police officers and dozens of civilians were killed.
Since news broke out about Jos’s presence in Sierra Leone for over six and enjoying high level protection, the government of Sierra Leone didn’t deny his presence in the country, but promised to working with the Dutch government should they receive official communication.
But,unconfirmed reports filtering in claims that Jos, who was later identified by his pseudonym, Umar Sheriff, has left the shores of Sierra Leone in the wake of the drug scandal befalling the country.
The Inspector General of Police, William Fiah Sellu had earlier told journalists that they have alerted all border security about the said identity and established an open source investigation into the issue. They are yet to confirm whether the man has left the shores or not and how.
The story about Jos Leijdekkers’ presence in Sierra Leone has been and being published by major news outlets with the latest being the African Confidential which reported about a close tie with the man and the president’s family in Sierra Leone.
The government might have been embarrassed with this scandalous chain of negative reports about the country, especially dragging in the president’s family.
Rueters, which first broke out the news, had provided some photo and video evidences in which the drug baron is found in the company of the President at a new years’ service in Tihun, the home town of the president. Other footages also revealed where the man was seen harvesting a rice farm, seemingly owned by the president.
The government is currently in the state of quagmire, fighting to protect the country’s image on the international stage with regards to the presence of the Dutch criminal, and, as well struggling to negotiate the release of the Sierra Leone Ambassador to Guinea, who had been put under house arrest after the Guinean authorities impounded a diplomatic vehicle loaded with Cocaine.
Several media reports have branded Sierra Leone as a Hub for drug trafficking to South America. In September 2024, a mysterious plane with four crew members including three Mexicans and a Spaniard landed at the Lungi International Airport without permit.
The said plane, together with it crew members, were released after paying one hundred thousand United States Dollars as fine to the government. Other related incidences, including the abandoning of a mini submarine at Black Johson Wharf in the Penninsular and the suspected container at the Queen Elizabeth Quay in Freetown, all raised further questions about the country’s alleged involvement in the illicit drug trade.
