The Dutch government has officially asked Sierra Leone to extradite convicted drug criminal Jos Leijdekkers. David Van Weel, Dutch Justice Minister shared the news on his Twitter handle (now X) on 6th February 2025, urging Sierra Leone to act quickly.
“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,” Van Weel said.
Leijdekkers was sentenced in absentia by a Rotterdam court in June last year to 24 years in prison. He was found guilty of smuggling seven tons of cocaine and ordering a murder.
Reports suggest he may be in Sierra Leone. This suspicion grew after the country’s First Lady, Fatima Bio, shared pictures and a video on social media showing a man who looked like Leijdekkers at a religious event attended by President Julius Maada Bio.
Sierra Leone’s police chief, William Fayia Sellu, later confirmed at a press briefing that investigators had identified the man in the photos as Leijdekkers, also known as “Omar Sheriff.”
