One of Europe’s most-wanted drug traffickers living in Sierra Leone, say Dutch prosecutors
One of Europe’s most-wanted drug traffickers living in Sierra Leone, say Dutch prosecutors
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Jos Leijdekkers, reportedly the son-in-law of African country’s president, was sentenced to 24 years in prison. One of Europe’s most wanted men, the Dutch crime boss Jos Leijdekkers, is hiding out in Sierra Leone, Dutch prosecutors have said. The statement came after Dutch media published footage that appeared to show the violent drug trafficker at a New Year’s Day church service seated close to Sierra Leone’s presidential family. Sierra Leone’s information office said it was investigating reports that he was benefiting from high-level protection.
Leijdekkers, who is on the Netherlands’ and Europol’s most wanted list, was sentenced in absentia by a Rotterdam court last June to 24 years in prison for six drug transports totalling 7,000kg of cocaine, an armed robbery in Finland and ordering murder. Last September a Belgian court sentenced him to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking offences and assault.
Dutch police also suspect his involvement in the disappearance and suspected murder and torture of Naima Jilal, a woman who disappeared in Amsterdam in 2019. Dutch journalists revealed that the 33-year-old was hiding out in Sierra Leone and published a video showing a man believed to be Leijdekkers at a church service seated two rows behind Sierra Leone’s president, Julius Maada Bio.
The Reuters news agency, which verified the video, reported that Leijdekkers was sitting next to a woman who was Bio’s daughter, Agnes, and said to be married to Leijdekkers. The relationship has not been confirmed by Reuters or the Dutch prosecutor’s office.
