Freetown, 14th September, 2026 – A diplomatic row has erupted between Sierra Leone and the Netherlands after Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh accused Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel of “neo‑colonialism” in the ongoing dispute over the extradition of fugitive drug lord Jos “Bolle Jos” Leijdekkers.
Van Weel appeared by video link on AYV’s State of the Nation programme on Wednesday, insisting that Sierra Leone had failed to act on a formal extradition request lodged more than a year ago. He alleged that Leijdekkers, sentenced in absentia in the Netherlands and Belgium to terms totalling around 80 years, is hiding in Sierra Leone.
The Dutch minister pointed to footage showing the fugitive at a church service with President Julius Maada Bio, and claimed Leijdekkers is linked to the president’s family.
Leijdekkers is accused of orchestrating major cocaine shipments through West African ports, including the largest seizure in Dutch history earlier this year and a 4,000‑tonne haul intercepted in France last week.
Responding on the same programme, Chief Minister Sengeh dismissed the Dutch pressure as “scandalous” and “neo‑colonial.” He said Sierra Leone is an independent nation and should not be threatened with cuts to EU aid. “Hand on heart, our security intelligence does not know where Leijdekkers is,” he said. “If they know, show the pictures.”
Sengeh also accused the Netherlands of double standards, noting that Freetown had twice requested the extradition of political activist Adebayor, who lives in the Netherlands and is accused of inciting violence during Sierra Leone’s 2022 riots. “They refused extradition. Have they given us that due respect to come?” he asked.
Van Weel rejected the “neo‑colonialism” charge as “ridiculous,” telling Dutch broadcaster Nieuwsuur that the strong reaction showed his pressure campaign was working. He said he had not yet received any indication from Freetown that the extradition process would accelerate.
The Dutch minister has escalated his campaign in recent months, urging the EU in June to suspend €352 million in development aid to Sierra Leone, though the proposal failed to gain support from other member states. In July, he travelled to Ghana to build a regional coalition to press Freetown.
The clash underscores rising tensions between Sierra Leone and the Netherlands over extradition and judicial cooperation. While the Dutch government insists Leijdekkers must face justice, Sierra Leone’s leadership argues that external pressure undermines its sovereignty and ignores its own extradition requests.
