Once again, Sierra Leone has been dragged into an international scandal, but this time, it reveals something far more disturbing than just government incompetence.
A convicted Dutch drug lord, Jos Leijdekkers, lived in the country for months, rubbing shoulders with top officials, moving without restriction, and enjoying the privileges of the powerful.
While ordinary citizens struggle with hardship, a fugitive found protection among those in power.
The international press, Al Jazeera, BBC, and others have exposed this shocking reality; yet our government has responded with nothing but vague denials, claiming they had no idea who he was.
How can a wanted criminal infiltrate the highest levels of power unnoticed? Are we supposed to believe that our leaders, with all their security agencies, were simply blind to it?
This same fugitive was embraced as a foreign investor, celebrated as the biggest private sponsor of the new airport.
Jos’ name is tied to the SUMA Group, a company with deep influence in Sierra Leone, including construction and management of the country’s new international airport terminal.
But beyond business, Jos also posed as a philanthropist, gaining access to people in the President’s inner circle, including, as some reports suggest, his own daughter.
The government now wants to act as if they were deceived; but this is not a case of mistaken identity, it is a national disgrace.
What makes this even more concerning is the government’s repeated attempts at damage control whenever suspicious incidents occur.
Take, for instance, the mysterious flight that landed at the newly built airport terminal.
When concerns were raised, the government quickly brushed them aside, claiming that the aircraft had ‘authorization,’ and that people were overreacting. No details were given about its cargo, its passengers, or purpose of its arrival.
This lack of transparency only fuels suspicion.
Then there was the report of a mysterious submarine landing on our shores, an incident that could not be ignored given the country’s increasing connection to the global drug trade.
Again, the government attempted to control the narrative, dismissing it as ‘misinformation’ and refusing to give any meaningful explanation.
How does a country with a functional security system have a submarine land on its coast, and yet no one seems to know anything?
At Water Quay, the country’s main seaport, a container believed to be carrying cocaine was intercepted. Yet, before any proper investigation could take place, the contents mysteriously ‘changed.’
The authorities assured the public that everything was under control, yet nothing concrete came from the so-called investigation.
A Sierra Leonean diplomatic vehicle was caught at the Guinea border transporting suspected narcotics, causing outrage.
But just like the other incidents, the government tried to manage the backlash rather than take decisive action.
Officials downplayed the incident, making excuses instead of holding those responsible accountable.
While the people of Sierra Leone are struggling with economic hardship, the President has been making numerous international trips, often flying in private jets. These trips cost money, lots of it.
Are these flights just for government business, or is there something sinister such as drugs trafficking being facilitated behind closed doors?
In the midst of these drug-related scandals, the question cannot be ignored.
Now, after months of silence, the government claims they have ordered an investigation into Jos Leijdekkers’ presence in Sierra Leone.
But how can the same officials who failed to act for so long be trusted to investigate themselves?
This is not just incompetence, it is a betrayal of the trust of the people of Sierra Leone, and the faith they have in those governing them.
Sierra Leoneans deserve leaders who protect them, not leaders who allow criminals to roam freely while pretending not to see.
This is bigger than a single scandal.
It is about a system that has failed its people; a system where international criminals move freely, while the innocent suffer, a system where those in power live in luxury, while ordinary citizens can barely afford a meal; a system where international criminals find a safe haven, while Sierra Leoneans are left to fend for themselves.
Until the truth is exposed, until those responsible are held accountable, the people of Sierra Leone must ask themselves: who is really in charge of this country?
Our elected leaders, or the criminals they protect?
Time for change of governance in Sierra Leone to save what’s left of the soul of the nation.
By Dr Doma, Sierra Leone Telegraph
