Dutch journalist Sophie has on 16 February 2025 departed from Freetown amid recent police investigation.
She was escorted to the Freetown International Airport last evening by lawyer Charles Abass Bangura Esq. of Edrina Chambers, according to SLAJ Secretariat.
Before boarding, Sophie had a brief WhatsApp video call with SLAJ President Ahmed Sahid Nasralla. He noted that the Association prioritises her safety and freedom..
Van Leeuwen, an Africa correspondent for RTL Nieuws, was apprehended on Thursday, February 13, 2025, while reporting near Freetown.
Authorities allege she was filming without the necessary permit, leading to suspicions of possible espionage. She was detained alongside a local journalist, according to the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), which has called for due process and respect for press freedom in handling the matter.
The journalist’s personal belongings, including her passport, mobile phone, and camera, were n police custody as they undergo detailed analysis at the cyber unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Her belongings were later returned to her, according to SLAJ.
This incident coincides with a scandal involving the alleged presence of convicted Dutch drug lord Jos Leijdekkers in Sierra Leone. Leijdekkers, one of Europe’s most-wanted fugitives, was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison by a Rotterdam court in June 2024 for smuggling over seven tonnes of cocaine. He is believed to have been residing in Sierra Leone for approximately six months prior to his discovery.
