By Kandeh Sesay
Dutch Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel has called on the Government of Sierra Leone to take concrete steps to facilitate the transfer of convicted fugitive Jos Leijdekkers, commonly known as “Jos L.”, to the Netherlands to serve his prison sentence.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Minister van Weel disclosed that he held discussions with Sierra Leone’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice during a meeting in Accra, Ghana.
“In Ghana I spoke with the Minister of Justice of Sierra Leone about Jos. That conversation took place at his invitation. It is good that there is a willingness to talk, but concrete steps are needed. Jos L. must come to the Netherlands as soon as possible to serve his sentence,” the Dutch minister wrote.
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice confirmed that he recently met with his Dutch counterpart in Accra to continue discussions on security cooperation and efforts to combat transnational organised crime.
According to the Attorney-General, the meeting centred on strengthening judicial cooperation between Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with particular emphasis on addressing illicit financial flows, dismantling cross-border criminal networks, and tackling other forms of transnational organised crime that continue to threaten national and international security.
He stated that both countries acknowledged the increasing sophistication of organised criminal activities and the need for stronger partnerships to enhance law enforcement cooperation, intelligence sharing, and legal frameworks aimed at combating such crimes.
The Attorney-General added that the engagement reflects Sierra Leone’s continued commitment to strengthening international cooperation on justice and security issues as governments work together to respond to the growing challenges posed by transnational criminal networks.
However, reactions on social media have been mixed. Some commentators argue that the Attorney-General’s public statement did not directly address the Netherlands’ request regarding the transfer of Jos Leijdekkers. They contend that while the statement emphasised broader security cooperation, it did not indicate any concrete commitment to the specific request made by the Dutch authorities.
The Government of Sierra Leone has not publicly announced any decision regarding the transfer of Jos Leijdekkers, while the Dutch government continues to press for his return to the Netherlands to serve his sentence.
