Freetown, Sierra Leone – he Dutch government has officially requested the extradition of convicted drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers from Sierra Leone.utch Minister of Justice and Security, David van Weel, confirmed that the extradition request was submitted to Sierra Leonean authorities today.
Minister van Weel emphasized the importance of international collaboration in combating organized crime, expressing hope for prompt action from Sierra Leone.e stated, “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.”
In June of the previous year, Leijdekkers, 33, was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison by a Rotterdam court for smuggling over seven tonnes of cocaine.eports from January indicated that he had been residing in Sierra Leone for approximately six months.
Recent allegations have surfaced suggesting a personal connection between Leijdekkers and the family of Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, including a possible relationship with the president’s daughter.hese claims have raised questions about the president’s awareness of Leijdekkers’s presence in the country.
In response, Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Information released a statement asserting that President Bio attended numerous public events during the festive season, where he was photographed with many attendees.he statement declared that the president has “no knowledge of the identity and issues detailed in the reports about the individual in question.”
On Tuesday, Inspector General of Police William Fayia Sellu announced that the individual believed to be Leijdekkers has been identified as Umar Sheriff.
He stated, “The picture that has been circulating on social media as Jos Leijdekkers—we have been able to, through our Open Source Investigation Unit, affix a name to that face, which is Umar Sheriff.”
The Inspector General noted that a thorough review of formal entry records over the past six months yielded no trace of Umar Sheriff’s official entry into Sierra Leone.e added that multiple raids have been conducted to apprehend Sheriff, but all attempts have been unsuccessful thus far.uthorities remain uncertain about Sheriff’s activities within the country.
“As we speak, we are on the lookout for Umar Sheriff and encourage members of the public to assist the police in their investigations,” Inspector General Sellu urged.
