Sewa News Stream

  We are uncertain when Maada Bio encouraged young Sierra Leoneans to assume leadership roles or which of his initiatives truly inspired the nation. It appears that Gleaner SL is referencing his daughter’s association with a convicted Dutch drug trafficker, an event that has contributed to perceptions of Sierra Leone as a narco state. Rather than addressing this issue, Gleaner SL shifts focus to Sengeh, presenting him as the exemplar of Bio's initiatives. In 2013, Sengeh, then 26 and engaged in postdoctoral research on prosthetics at an Ivy League institution, had previously received a scholarship to study in Norway in 2004 at approximately age 15.  According to a 2013 CNN interview, he witnessed the Revolutionary United Front amputate the hands and feet of civilians, a notorious tactic employed by the group, which was supported by Julius Maada Bio during the civil war. As a survivor of the conflict, Sengeh was awarded a scholarship to the Red Cross University in Norway...

This weekend, news about a tennis player halting a match due to the smell of cannabis captured global attention. Among the many social media comments, one chairperson from a Committee on Drugs suggested that the incident at the US Open, when Aryna Sabalenka stopped play, might not just be about one person smoking. According to his LinkedIn profile, Matej Košir has been the director at the Institute for Research and Development for 20 years, focusing on prevention science, youth risk behaviour, and policies related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Since 2023, he has served as chairperson of the Vienna Committee on Drugs, contributing to global discussions on drug policy and prevention. His goal is to promote professional exchange and collaboration to improve research and practical solutions addressing challenges related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs worldwide. In his commentary, Matej Košir observes that the real news from the US Open is that when the smell of cannabis becom...

Since January 2025, Sewa News has published several blogs looking at the deadlock in Sierra Leone and the way in which sovereignty and state protection are enabling Europe's most wanted drug lord.   It has been suggested that the case of Johannes  "Jos" Leijdekkers represents Europe's cocaine dilemma, as the crisis involves aid, trade, sovereignty, and Leijdekkers' rise to "viceroy" in Sierra Leone.  This deadlock reveals the power of cocaine, corruption, and the EU's struggle to capture a cartel leader; the conflict between sovereignty and justice: why Europe is unable to catch its most notorious drug lord, with ordinary Sierra Leoneans suffering as a result of Europe's confrontation with the cartel. Europe is attempting to secure Jos Leijdekkers and reduce West African trafficking, but all efforts have encountered obstacles, are hindered by the principle of sovereign immunity, and face high-level political stonewalling. European countries cann...

Europe is trying to capture Jos Leijdekkers and curb West African trafficking, but faces severe diplomatic barriers, sovereign immunity limits, and high-level political protection. European nations cannot seize suspects or police foreign sovereign soil without violating international law, and when host governments are uncooperative or compromised, law enforcement efforts stall. The ongoing challenges in apprehending figures like Leijdekkers and stabilizing transit regions stem from specific geopolitical and structural hurdles. Investigative reports and leaked footage place Leijdekkers—sentenced heavily in absentia by Dutch courts—in close proximity to Sierra Leone's political elite, including ties to the ruling family. While European intelligence has pinpointed his presence, local authorities have routinely stonewalled requests or denied formal knowledge of his whereabouts, making standard extradition requests legally dead. European police and special forces cannot conduct unilater...

After the one-sided vote on the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the All People's Congress, a major political party in Sierra Leone, held a press conference and made some unexpected claims.  As people across the country discuss Parliament's uneven approval, the APC spokesperson called the attempt to legitimize the bill's passage as fraudulent. The APC also claimed that reliable reports suggest opposition MPs were offered large sums of money to support the bill.  These bribery allegations at the highest level come as international attention focuses on convicted Dutch drug dealer Johannes Leijdekkers, also known as Bolle Jos.  Many Sierra Leoneans are worried about cartels and illegal money entering politics, with some even calling Sierra Leone a narco state.  Meanwhile, in Liberia, Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman revealed that top government officials were involved in drug trafficking.  The Liberia National Police has charged the head...

  The threshold for electing a president remains a contentious issue in Sierra Leone.  Truth Media shared a 5-minute interview clip with Alpha Sesay, the attorney general and justice minister, who has publicly opposed extraditing a convicted Dutch drug dealer with over 100 convictions in Europe for narcotrafficking.  The Truth Media podcast host quoted the draft legislation: a person shall not be declared elected as president of Sierra Leone unless at the presidential election he obtains a simple majority of the total valid vote cast throughout Sierra Leone, and a minimum of 20 percent of the total valid vote cast in at least two-thirds of the districts of Sierra Leone .  Sesay stated that President Julius Maada Bio supports the bill to ensure broad representation in presidential elections.  He noted that the All People's Congress, the Sierra Leone People's Party, and other minority groups agree the 55 percent threshold is high, and he believes Sierra Leone may ...