Abubakar Hashim
Today’s Africa Confidential online publication, dated 7 February 2025, has a screaming headline: “President Bio Keeps Cocaine Lord in the Family “, with an equally screaming rider: “ One of Europe’s most wanted criminals is the partner of one of Bio’s daughters and has transferred his operations to Freetown.“ This is an epitome of grave, malicious allegation, as no corresponding tangible evidence was reported. The report requires careful explanation
There are thousands of ex convicts in the West African Countries, where I’ve covered reports for over 35 years.
Now to the issue. Jos Leijdekkers, a Dutch, popularly called Bolle Jos, meaning “ Fat Jos”, is reported to be a once-convicted cocaine criminal and is also reported to be at “ large “ in Sierra Leone.
For Bolle Jos to be linked to the first family is gravely malicious and ultimately undermine the integrity of the statehood of Sierra Leone.
Africa Confidential is a well respected publication and its editor, Patrick Smith, a colleague, ought to have done more thorough investigations into a delicately sensitive report with grave security implications.
For Patrick to jump to conclusions, lacks merit. The report appears defamatory and libellous.
The Dutch, Bolle Jos was indeed sentenced, in absentia in June 2024 to 24 years in prison for smuggling 7 tonnes of cocaine, robbery and ordering a killing.
But is not true that the Dutchman took over Sierra Leone’s national security infrastructure to carry out cocaine deals.
For Patrick to link the Dutchman to the First Family, is the epitome of reckless journalism and cast a dark shadow in the entire report.
Sierra Leone has been awash, of recent, false cocaine reports. From Guinea to Ghana, the country’s embassies have been falsely bombarded with hogwash and false cocaine allegations.
*Abubakar Hashim is the West Africa Bureau Chief of TheNEWS Magazine based in Sierra Leone. He is currently writing from Nigeria