Freetown, March 9, 2025 – Leaked photos and videos have surfaced showing Sierra Leone’s recently sacked Chief Immigration Officer, Hon. Alusine Kanneh, and the country’s current Drug Enforcement Agency head, Andrew Jaia Kaikai, socializing with convicted Dutch drug lord Jos Bellos.
The revelations have fueled suspicions that the fugitive has been enjoying state protection.
The controversy intensified on Friday, March 7, when President Julius Maada Bio dismissed Kanneh and appointed Moses Tiffa Baio as his replacement. The decision followed mounting allegations of Kanneh’s connections to Bellos, who has been on the run from Dutch authorities.
Opposition figure Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray, based in the United States, has been at the forefront of exposing Bellos’ ties to influential figures in Sierra Leone.
He recently published reports detailing the drug lord’s high-ranking connections and whereabouts. One of the most damning pieces of evidence—a video showing Bellos at Kanneh’s 50th birthday party—was reportedly obtained through Mansaray’s sources.
This is not the first time Kanneh has been linked to the fugitive. In January, a separate video surfaced showing Bellos involved in an altercation at a Freetown nightclub in 2023, with Kanneh appearing at the scene. At the time, Kanneh claimed he was merely acting as a peacemaker and denied any connection to Bellos. However, the newly surfaced footage from his birthday party appears to contradict his earlier statements.
Dutch law enforcement sources indicate that Bellos has been using multiple identities and passports, making his ties to Sierra Leone’s immigration chief particularly concerning.
Opposition figures have previously accused the Immigration Department of issuing passports to foreigners illegally, raising further questions about Bellos’ ability to move freely.
Meanwhile, Andrew Jaia Kaikai, Sierra Leone’s top anti-drug official, was also present at Kanneh’s birthday party, raising further doubts about the government’s commitment to arresting the fugitive. Kaikai, who previously served as Chief Immigration Officer, has been officially tasked with handling the Bellos case. However, his close ties to key figures allegedly protecting the drug lord suggest that an arrest or extradition remains unlikely.
So far, the only individual detained in connection with Bellos’ case has been Dutch journalist Sophie van Leeuwen. She was in Sierra Leone reporting for RTL Nieuws when authorities arrested her on suspicion of espionage.
“They confiscated everything—passport, phone, camera. I heard someone say, ‘We’ve got her.’ I was escorted through Freetown in a truck full of men in red berets, sunglasses, and carrying guns,” Van Leeuwen said after her release.
She was interrogated for two days by the same unit responsible for investigating drug-related crimes in the country.
Meanwhile, Dutch authorities have ramped up efforts to capture Bellos. The Netherlands has informed neighboring countries—Guinea, Liberia, and Mali—about the fugitive’s red notice and has been coordinating with regional governments.
“We are using all tools at our disposal to ensure he faces justice,” a Dutch public prosecution spokesperson said.
Dutch Minister of Justice David Van Weel also confirmed that he had spoken with his Sierra Leonean counterpart regarding the case. “Criminals should not be given free rein anywhere,” he said in a statement following the discussions.
With growing international scrutiny, Sierra Leone’s government faces increasing pressure to clarify its stance on Bellos and take decisive action against those implicated in shielding him.
