Freetown, Thursday, 13th February 2025 – The Sierra Leone Police have confirmed the arrest of Dutch journalist Sophie van Leeuwen in Freetown. She was detained along the peninsula in the company of a local journalist.
According to police sources, van Leeuwen is being questioned on suspicion of possible espionage and for allegedly conducting documentary work without the required permissions.
A local journalist stated that van Leeuwen claimed to have accreditation from the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE) as a foreign journalist in Sierra Leone.
She reportedly attended the Ministry’s last press briefing, where she asked questions during the session. The President of Women in the Media Sierra Leone, Eastina Boimadi Taylor, confirmed that van Leeuwen had reached out to her for assistance in acquiring media accreditation before arriving in the country.
The police emphasized that van Leeuwen remains innocent until proven otherwise and assured that an objective investigation is underway. Authorities will decide whether to close the case or pursue further inquiries based on the findings.
Van Leeuwen serves as Africa correspondent for RTL Nieuws. The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists is closely monitoring the situation and has called for due process and respect for press freedom in handling the matter.
Further updates will follow as more details emerge.
The arrest of Sophie van Leeuwen came as the government of Sierra Leone is currently deliberating an extradition request from the Netherlands concerning Jos Leijdekkers, a convicted cocaine smuggler and one of Europe’s most-wanted fugitives.
Leijdekkers, 33, was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison by a Rotterdam court in June 2024 for smuggling over seven tonnes of cocaine.
Reports indicate that Leijdekkers has been residing in Sierra Leone for approximately six months. Recent images and videos from a January 1, 2025, church service in Tihun, southern Sierra Leone, show him seated near President Julius Maada Bio.
Sources suggest that Leijdekkers may have ties to the president’s family, though these claims remain unverified.
The absence of a formal extradition treaty between Sierra Leone and the Netherlands complicates the process.
Information Minister Chernor Bah has reiterated the country’s commitment to lawful governance and international cooperation.
He stated that the government is resolute in ensuring Sierra Leone does not become a safe haven for organized crime and is prepared to collaborate with international partners, including Interpol, in this matter.
