The Government of Sierra Leone has confirmed that the Dutch government has formally requested the extradition of Jos Leijdekkers.
On Thursday, 6th February 2025, Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, announced that Dutch authorities had delivered an official document to the Sierra Leone embassies in Ghana and Brussels. This document was addressed to both the Attorney General and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sierra Leone.
The extradition request documents were then forwarded to Freetown on Sunday, 9th February 2025, and were officially received by Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay, on Monday, 10th February 2025.
Minister Bah explained that the Attorney General would thoroughly review the documents and offer the necessary legal guidance. He emphasized that Sierra Leone remains committed to upholding the rule of law and will follow the procedures outlined in the 1974 Extradition Act.
Additionally, Minister Bah noted that Sierra Leone had previously made two requests to the Netherlands for the extradition of an individual known as “Adebayor” to face justice in Sierra Leone for alleged crimes, including incitement to violence. However, no action had been taken by Dutch authorities.
The Sierra Leone Police also revealed that their ongoing investigations have linked Jos Leijdekkers, the accused drug baron, to the name Umarr Sheriff. Inspector General of Police, William Fayia Sellu, said the primary focus of their open-source investigation was to verify Leijdekkers’ true identity.
The police special investigations unit has been analyzing open-source data, including images circulating on social media and other public platforms. IG Sellu stated, “The open-source data we have examined is from publicly accessible websites and social media. These platforms have helped us generate actionable intelligence.” He added that their findings had led them to connect Leijdekkers with the name Umarr Sheriff, as well as photos shared widely online.
The police investigation, spanning six months, focused on locations where the individual known as “Jos” was believed to have been active in Sierra Leone. However, they have yet to locate him. IG Sellu called on the public to provide any confidential information that could help identify or apprehend the suspect.
According to reports from the BBC, Jos Leijdekkers, one of Europe’s most-wanted fugitives, has been residing in Sierra Leone for approximately six months. Last June, he was sentenced in absentia by a Rotterdam court to 24 years in prison for smuggling over seven tonnes of cocaine. Dutch authorities have prioritized his return, but prosecutor Wim de Bruin has said the investigation is ongoing and has declined further comment.
Leijdekkers, known by the nickname “Bolle Jos,” was previously believed to be living in Turkey. Dutch police have described him as “one of the key players in international cocaine trafficking.” In light of his fugitive status, a reward of $210,000 (approximately £168,000) has been offered for information leading to his arrest—the highest reward ever offered for a Dutch fugitive. Leijdekkers is also listed as one of Europol’s most-wanted individuals.