Wanted Dutch drug baron seen in the company of Sierra Leone President Maada Bio

A 33-year-old Dutch man wanted for drug smuggling in his home country, The Netherlands, has been seen in the company of Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio and his daughter in videos published online and examined by journalists.

The fugitive, Jos Leijdekkers, has also been described as Europe’s most wanted man.

Video footage shared on social media including one by the wife of Bio shows the fugitive in the company of the president and his family at a New Year’s Eve church service. In another video also shared widely on social media and seen by Ghana Business News, the wanted man is shown harvesting rice alongside the Sierra Leonean president on his farm in Tihun, a rural town in Sogbini Chiefdom, Bonthe District in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone.

Leijdekkers, nicknamed Bolle Jos, was sentenced to 24 years in prison in absentia in June last year by a Rotterdam court for the offence of smuggling seven tonnes of cocaine, an armed robbery in Finland and ordering murder. In September last year, a Belgian court also sentenced him to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking offences and assault. Dutch police also suspect his involvement in the disappearance and suspected torture and murder of Naima Jilal, a woman who disappeared in Amsterdam in 2019.

Leijdekkers is reported to be closer to the daughter of the president of Sierra Leone, Agnes Bio. 

However, some sources in the Sierra Leonean capital, Freetown who spoke to Ghana Business News and didn’t want to be named because of where they work, cast doubt on the identity of the individual seen together with the president in the photo. One said, “I have looked at the videos and photos, and I am wondering if indeed the individual in the images seen is actually the same person wanted by the Dutch and European authorities.”

In its report, the BBC quoting Dutch prosecutor Wim de Bruin says the return of Leijdekkers to The Netherlands was of “the highest priority.”

The BBC also cited a spokesperson for the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) saying the fugitive has been living in Sierra Leone for about six months and is known by the nickname Bolle Jos. Until he was found in Sierra Leone he was suspected to be living in Turkey.

But the Sierra Leone government in a spirited response to the news of the presence of the fugitive in the country and seen close to the president, has issued a statement saying it has no information the said individual is in the country and promised to investigate.

Among other things the government statement said: “The Government of Sierra Leone is aware of recent media reports alleging the presence of an individual referred to as Los Leijdekkers – apparently a convicted drug felon and one of Europe’s most wanted individuals, within Sierra Leone. The reports also claim that the said individual was seen in photographs taken during events attended by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio and his family.”

The statement further claims: “During the festive season, the President attended numerous family events and public gatherings, where photographs were taken with many attendees. The President has no knowledge of the identity and the issues detailed in the reports about the individual in question.”

Stating that it has not received any official communication from any government regarding the fugitive, it indicated its readiness to cooperate with the Dutch government and Interpol, to ensure cooperation and accountability.

It also said it has launched its own investigation into the matter.

Leijdekkers is listed as one of the most-wanted fugitives by Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency, and a $210,000 reward has been put on his head for tip-offs that lead to his arrest.

By Emmanuel K Dogbevi

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