Sewa News Stream

Sierra Leoneans woke up this weekend to news from Europol headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, indicating that a cocaine kingpin, Jos Leijdekkers, is reportedly hiding in Sierra Leone under high-level protection. Numerous news reports, images, and accounts reveal the role Sierra Leone plays as a transshipment point for large volumes of Latin American cocaine heading to Europe. Leijdekkers, who is Dutch, was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison on June 25 by a Rotterdam court for smuggling over 7 tons of cocaine. "It is the highest priority of police and prosecutors to get him to the Netherlands to serve his sentence. We are doing everything we can in that regard," stated Wim de Bruin, a Dutch prosecutors' office spokesman. Videos and photos from a church mass on January 1, 2025, show Leijdekkers, 33, sitting two rows behind Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio, next to a woman believed to be Agnes Bio, the president's relative. The mass occurred at ...

In December 1992, Salami Coker was working as an admin manager at the Ports Authority of Sierra Leone. Salami was born to Alieu Badara Coker and Maimuna Ayoub on November 22, 1945. He attended primary school in the east end of Freetown and later went to CMS Grammar School. According to his mother, Salami helped support his family as a boy by selling akara , sardines, sugar, and butter. He excelled in sports, becoming an athlete, boxer, and champion weightlifter. After graduating from the East 15 Acting School, now affiliated with the University of Essex, Salami made significant contributions to theater, television, and film. He later became a member of RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom. Salami wrote, directed, and acted in various theaters across the U.K., as well as local theaters in Sierra Leone. His peers included the playwright and poet Amadu Pat Mahdi. He gained international recognition when selected to act in award-winnin...

This Christmas season, Sierra Leone witnessed another unsettling situation involving its president, who took the controversial step of ordering the arrest of a pop culture icon.  Known for her vibrant presence, Hawa Hunt  was detained on live television over alleged libel associated with a statement made public years ago. Just days after her arrest, Hawa appeared on camera expressing regret. She emphasized her intent to channel her energies into mental health services, imploring her supporters to rally behind her vision. This situation echoes a similar incident from four Christmases ago when another popular cultural figure was under scrutiny from the administration. Police surrounded Sylvia Blyden 's residence with overwhelming force in response to a social media post she made years prior. Blyden faced multiple arrests until she relented and apologized for her comments regarding Julius Maada Bio's military promotions. Even after this apology, reports suggested that armed indi...

In 2023, Hawa Hunt, a popular musician and social commentator, made a striking statement on camera about Maada Bio, Sierra Leone's controversial president.  In the nearly five-minute video , which went viral on social media, Hawa Hunt spoke in Krio, and we've translated key excerpts of her comments into English:  "The man has big guts! He stood up a week ago when Zainab Sherriff accused him of being a killer. They took her away and locked her up. He’s not my president. I’ve told you that Sierra Leone doesn’t have a president. For the past five years, Sierra Leone hasn’t had a president. I see a small child in a bug's skirt jumping around." In retaliation, Maada Bio ordered Hawa Hunt's arrest while she was participating as a contestant in a reality television show, which was broadcast live . This act drew swift condemnation from many. Human rights lawyer Ady Macauley stated, "Arresting someone on live television is a new low, but it's not surprising. ...

  Alarming videos of migrants in distress in Guinea circulated on social media a few days before International Migrants Day. Reports say the Sierra Leone embassy in Guinea discredited the videos being shared on social media. One showed a mob hurling stones at the bodies of severely injured people and setting them alight. Other videos showed Sierra Leonean migrants being assaulted. The situation was so dire that events on the ground precipitated the visit of a Special Envoy to Sierra Leone . According to local news media, Maada Bio expressed his concerns regarding the "poor treatment" of Sierra Leoneans in neighboring Guinea. Ironically, Maada Bio, who's espoused violence in his bid to eliminate all seeking to halt dangerous policies, is now  complaining about the "poor treatment of #SierraLeoneans."  It's a bit rich for him to say migrants in Guinea should return when his cabinet is half-Guinean. Can Sierra Leone and Guinea " make migration work " ...

Disturbing video footage on social media shows Guineans smashing rocks and huge boulders onto the bodies of people lying on the road. Worrisome footage shows several people looking demonstrably lifeless in the middle of the street in broad daylight. Despite coming into close contact with the gruesome scene, a young boy and several pedestrians are captured strolling past the violence on the street, which commenters believe may be located in Conakry. The bizarre footage mimics an incident in South Africa , where scores of migrant Africans were assaulted or killed, news wires reported at the time. There have been no public statements following the raid on migrant settlements, resulting in unknown Sierra Leonean fatalities.