State House Protocol Scandal: How Did Wanted Drug Fugitive Slip into Pres. Bio’s Church Delegation?

By our news Desk

Questions are mounting over how wanted Dutch drug fugitive Jos Leijdekkers, popularly known as “Bolle Jos,” was able to gain access to a church service in Tihun on New Year’s Eve and reportedly appear within President Julius Maada Bio’s delegation.

The incident has triggered serious questions about presidential security, State House protocol, access control and the vetting of individuals who gain proximity to the President and members of his official entourage.

The State House Protocol Unit plays a critical role in coordinating Presidential engagements, including accreditation, seating arrangements, order of precedence, delegation coordination and liaison with event hosts.

However, the selection of individuals who travel with or accompany the President can involve the President, the Chief of Staff and other relevant officials.

During AYV’s State of the Nation programme, moderator Umara Fofana questioned Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh about how Leijdekkers was able to enter the Church in Tihun and apparently appear among the President’s delegation.

Sengeh said he had no knowledge of how the fugitive gained access.

He also rejected suggestions that the Netherlands should  not use the issue as a basis for threatening SierraLeone with cuts to European assistance.

“We don’t live on aid from the EU. That’s not what gets us going.”

But the Chief Minister’s response raises an even bigger question: If the Chief Minister does not know how Leijdekkers gained access to the President’s entourage, who was responsible for clearing, identifying and vetting the people who were around the President on that occasion?

More specifically, how was Jos Leijdekkers able to sit in close proximity to President Bio and the President’s daughter, reportedly before Chief Minister Sengeh was seated?

If the images are authentic and accurately reflect the seating arrangements, the matter warrants a clear explanation from State House.

Was Leijdekkers formally invited? Was he part of an official delegation? Was he introduced to anyone in the presidential entourage? Or did he simply gain access to a restricted presidential gathering without being properly identified?

What Happened After the Alleged LOR Restaurant  Footage Emerged?

Further questions have also emerged following video footage reportedly showing former Immigration officer Alusine Kanneh and Andrew Kaikai at Lor Restaurant in the company of Leijdekkers.

The footage reportedly shows the alleged drug fugitive handing gifts to the former immigration Boss, in the presence of the former head of the Anti-Drug Enforcement Agency. Shortly after the video footage surfaced, President Bio sacked Alusine Kanneh.

If the identities and circumstances depicted in the footage are confirmed, what action did the Government take?

Was an investigation launched into the circumstances surrounding the meeting?

Were Alusine Kanneh and Andrew Kaikai questioned by the relevant authorities?

Did the authorities establish what the gifts were, why they were given and whether the meeting had any connection to Leijdekkers’ alleged activities or his presence in Sierra Leone?

Most importantly, was any formal investigation initiated after the footage became public?

These questions are particularly significant given the alleged involvement of a former immigration official and a former senior anti-drug enforcement official in a meeting with a person wanted internationally on serious drug-trafficking allegations.

SECURITY AND PROTOCOL QUESTIONS

If Leijdekkers was present within or around the President’s official delegation without proper authorization or prior identification, the incident could represent a serious failure of presidential access-control and security procedures.

The Government should therefore clarify:
• Who compiled and approved the official delegation for the Tihun Church service?
• Was Leijdekkers listed, invited or cleared as part of the delegation?
• Who was responsible for identifying and verifying individuals accompanying the President?
• Were State House security and protocol officials aware of his presence?
• How did he gain access to the area where the President and his delegation were seated?
• Was his identity known to any member of the presidential security or protocol team?
• When did the authorities first become aware that the individual was Jos Leijdekkers?
• Was an investigation launched after his identity became known?
• Were any security or protocol officers questioned, suspended, reassigned or subjected to disciplinary proceedings?
• What measures, if any, have been introduced to prevent a similar incident from occurring again?

These are not merely questions of protocol.

If a wanted international fugitive was able to enter a presidential event and position himself close to the President without being properly identified, it could indicate a potentially significant security and vetting failure.

Dutch Government Convinced of Leijdekkers residing in  SierraLeone

The controversy comes amid continued pressure from the Dutch Government over Leijdekkers’ alleged presence in Sierra Leone.

Dutch Justice Minister David Van Weel has maintained that Leijdekkers has been hiding in Sierra Leone for some time and said the Netherlands has submitted an extradition request to the Sierra Leonean Government.

Speaking on AYV’s State of the Nation, Van Weel said the extradition process had been slow and indicated that the Netherlands was pursuing other diplomatic avenues, including discussions with European Union member states concerning development assistance to Sierra Leone.

The Dutch Government regards Leijdekkers as a serious drug-trafficking suspect and has argued that his continued freedom poses a security threat.

The Sierra Leone Government, however, has rejected the claim that Leijdekkers is currently in the country.

The Government Owes The Public  Answers

Regardless of the competing positions between Freetown and The Hague, one central question remains:

How did a wanted Dutch drug fugitive gain access to a presidential event and apparently appear among President Bio’s delegation?

If the Government maintains that Leijdekkers was not officially part of the delegation, then the public deserves to know how he gained access, who facilitated or enabled that access, whether any official knew of his presence and what action was taken after the alleged security lapse became known.

The public also deserves clarification on whether the Government investigated the reported meetings and video footage involving Leijdekkers and former senior security and immigration officials.

Presidential security is a matter of national importance. Transparency over the Tihun incident would not only address legitimate public concerns but would also help demonstrate that Sierra Leone’s presidential security, immigration controls and national anti-drug enforcement mechanisms are functioning effectively.