Sierra Leone’s Information and Civic Education Minister, Chernor Bah has criticized the Dutch government for handling diplomatic matters through social media rather than official channels in the case of an alleged cocaine lord, suspected to be Jos Leijdekkers in the country.
Speaking at a government press briefing on Tuesday, 11th February, 2025, Bah pointed out that Sierra Leone had not received any official communication from the Dutch government about the case until last week, “when official correspondence was sent requesting a meeting between the Deputy Head of Mission at the Dutch Embassy in Ghana and Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay.”
Bah explained that the meeting was intended for the Dutch officials to hand over documents related to the case, adding that Sierra Leone responded positively and began making arrangements for the meeting.
However, without notifying the government of Sierra Leone that the meeting was off, Dutch officials instead ‘hand delivered’ documents to Sierra Leone’s embassies in Brussels and Accra addressed to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Coorpration.
Reinforcing Sierra Leone’s concerns that the Dutch government was engaging more on social media than through proper diplomatic channels, Bah mentioned that ten minutes after the sealed documents were handed over to Sierra Leonean officials in Ghana, Dutch Justice Minister, David Van Weel posted details from them on Twitter (now X) before they had even reached their final destination.
Bah furthered that the documents were officially transmitted to Sierra Leone and received by the Attorney General on Monday 10th February, 2025 adding that the Attorney General is now reviewing them under the country’s extradition laws, which require that the alleged crime be recognized as an offense in both countries and that sufficient evidence be provided before any legal action is taken
“If the evidence meets the legal threshold, the Attorney General will submit an application to the courts, where the accused will have the right to legal representation before a judge decides on extradition,” Bah pointed out.
Meanwhile, Bah said by sheer coincidence Sierra Leone has also submitted an extradition request to the Netherlands for an individual allegedly involved in activities threatening Sierra Leone’s security. Unlike the Dutch approach, the minister noted that Sierra Leone followed diplomatic protocols and did not make its request public on social media.
Sierra Leone government through the ministry of information reaffirmed its commitment to due process, stating that decisions will be based on law, not online pressure. The minister also informed journalists that the Inspector General of Police is also continuing an investigation into the case, after previously identifying a man in a viral video as Omar Sheriff, whom some suspect to be the alleged drug baron.
