Sewa News Stream

  In this archive photo , Sierra Leone's First Lady, Fatima Bio, is seen speaking as president of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development to promote their mission for women and children across Africa. Clearly, Mrs. Bio takes her role as a political spouse seriously. She also understands that her support—or lack of support—for various interest groups can spark debate and create challenges, especially during party conventions, where she was recently confronted by her opponents for endorsing her preferred candidates. However, she believes that being mocked, harassed, and humiliated in Parliament just moments before her husband, President Maada Bio, was scheduled to deliver his speech at the State Opening went too far. Her protest against the unprecedented disrespect shown to a first lady has received sympathy from some parts of the Sierra Leonean public. While members of parliament and her political rivals have been quick to mock her, many people acknowledge the chall...

A research paper titled " Application of Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Monkeypox " reports that numerous AI models have been created for the precise diagnosis of Monkeypox. Mpox is a viral infection marked by symptoms such as headaches, chills, and fever. Skin lumps and rashes appear, resembling those seen in smallpox, measles, and chickenpox. The paper examined recent studies utilizing AI in mpox research, concentrating on diagnostic testing, epidemiological modeling of mpox transmission, drug and vaccine development, and media risk management. The authors conclude that this thorough review will serve as a helpful resource for researchers and data scientists working to develop strategies to combat the mpox virus and its spread. In May 2022, global health authorities announced that mpox had spread to multiple countries, posing a risk of becoming a global epidemic. Currently, no specific medication targets the mpox virus; instead, treatments designed for adult smallpo...

Last week, several newspapers reported that a district court in the Netherlands had ordered convicted drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers to pay over 96 million euros to the Dutch state. This ruling followed a confiscation procedure that initially sought a record 221 million euros in criminal assets. Prosecutors believe that Leijdekkers, a central figure in international cocaine smuggling, is receiving high-level protection in Sierra Leone. This week, the Gleaner newspaper reported that Abu Bakarr Naorie, also known as Buba NaOrie, has been identified as the mastermind behind a suspicious boat believed to be involved in cocaine transportation in Freetown. Naorie is the owner of a fishing company and is currently under scrutiny due to the recent discovery of a vessel suspected of transporting illegal substances. The fishing company has been accused of using its fishing harbor and cold storage facilities as fronts for drug smuggling operations. According to allegations, Naorie oversaw these ...

  Fifty years ago, on July 19, 1975, I looked in fear at the lifeless body of Ibrahim Bash-Taqi hanging on the high brick wall of Pademba Road in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Taqi was executed by hanging alongside former finance minister Mohamed Forna, Army Lieutenant Habib Lansana Kamara, and Paramount Chief Bai Makarie N'silk at Pademba Road. The turmoil began after a disputed election in 1967, which led to a military coup that overthrew Sierra Leone's civilian government following independence. This military rule lasted just over a year and ended with another coup that reinstated Siaka Stevens, whose All People's Congress (APC) had won the 1967 elections. Between 1968 and 1969, tensions grew between the APC and the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), which had governed from 1961 to 1967. Dissatisfaction increased among some APC members, leading to the formation of the National Democratic Party (NDP). This party fueled opposition against the APC through newslett...

The monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak in Sierra Leone has expanded over the past six weeks, with cases reportedly rising by over 71% in just one week.  According to a leader from the Africa Centers for Disease Control's Mpox Incident Management Support Team, there are indications that Sierra Leone accounts for half of Africa's confirmed Mpox cases.  However, Mpox is more than just numbers; it is a human story that Sierra Leoneans are honoring through heartfelt social media tributes . Among the deceased is Akmed Sidi Kamara, a mechanical engineer who became an entertainment business owner known as "Black Coffee" to his fans.  After earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Fourah Bay College, Kamara pursued a career as a social media influencer, youth activist, and humanitarian, eventually becoming the CEO of Black Coffee House of Entertainment.  In his final days while battling Mpox, Kamara bravely shared his experience with the public, advocating for awaren...

Jason Kindrachuk, PhD, an associate professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of Manitoba, has been discussing emerging viruses and Ebola on social media. This weekend, he shared his insights with over 20,000 followers regarding the Mpox outbreak in Sierra Leone, emphasizing the urgent need for vaccines as the situation worsens. Mpox is a dreadful and preventable disease, and the call for vaccines is critical as cases continue to rise.  Deutsche Welle Africa has reported that Sierra Leone has confirmed 3,011 Mpox cases and 14 deaths since the beginning of 2025, reflecting a 50% increase in just 10 days. The outbreak now spans all regions of the country. In response, authorities have converted a police training center in Freetown into a 400-bed treatment facility. Mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox, has been spreading increasingly in Africa since 2022, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global health emergency in 2024. Other African countrie...

Physicians from Médecins sans Frontières (MSF or Doctors Without Borders) have recently reported that Sierra Leone is experiencing an outbreak of monkeypox, or MPox, with an average of 120 new cases recorded daily since April 25, 2025.  MSF has rehabilitated an infectious isolation ward in the nation's capital to support the response to the outbreak. They have also donated infection prevention and control materials and installed a chlorine production unit. Furthermore, MSF donated a pickup truck and four motorbikes to the district health management team in Kenema District , located in eastern Sierra Leone, to enhance surveillance and contact tracing for MPox and Lassa Fever. With a population of 8.3 million, Sierra Leone's health system had already been struggling, as highlighted by the Ebola virus epidemic.  A 2022 study revealed that all vaccine doses came from abroad.  On April 23, 2025, Saidu Bah reported that Sierra Leone became the 14th member state of the African ...

Can Rapaport's vision of "Tikkun Olam" truly stand up against China's Belt and Road Initiative or the influence of a Dutch drug lord in Sierra Leone?  In 2017, artisanal miners from a small hamlet discovered a 709-carat diamond, later dubbed the Sierra Leone Peace Diamond. This village and the surrounding area lacked clean water, electricity, schools, health facilities, roads, or bridges. The Rapaport Group announced that for the first time, millions of dollars from the sale of the Peace Diamond will go toward providing vital infrastructure and improving the lives of some of the poorest people in the world. On March 12, 2025, the Rapaport Group announced its sixth trade mission to Sierra Leone . Serving more than 20,000 clients in over 121 countries, the Rapaport Group will lead an international delegation of diamond dealers, jewelers, and industry leaders on an immersive journey from May 4 to May 9, 2025. This trip aims to provide firsthand exposure to artisanal dia...

The Brussels Times , in collaboration with Belga , recently reported that Dutch drug lord 'Bolle' Jos Leijdekkers was sentenced to 13 years in prison in absentia. Leijdekkers, considered the most wanted person in the Netherlands, received this sentence from the Antwerp correctional court for orchestrating the attempted theft of 10 tons of cocaine. The court revealed that while the robbery was carefully planned, it failed. A total of 19 defendants were on trial, with two being acquitted. Seven members of the Dutch commando team involved in the attempted theft each received a sentence of ten years, while the other defendants faced prison terms ranging from one year with probation to nine years. Further investigations identified Leijdekkers as the mastermind behind the operation. Despite the prison sentence, it is unlikely that Leijdekkers will be particularly concerned. He has previously been sentenced to 24 years for his involvement in six drug transports and a murder contract, ...

In March 2023, a group of United States senators introduced the Transnational Repression Policy Act, which aims “to hold foreign governments and individuals accountable when they stalk, intimidate, or assault people across borders, including in the United States.” Joseph Turay, the publisher of the Public Review newspaper, is still not safe from transnational repression committed by operatives of the Maada Bio administration.  This week, Turay  issued a press release  denouncing Abdul Hassan Fackie's recent statements  on the online television program Wi Yard , which aired on April 12, 2025. Turay claims that Fackie's statements are false, including the assertion that Turay is not in hiding and that Fackie is currently in Freetown, Sierra Leone, with his vehicle returned by the police.  Turay explains that, since his arrest on February 13, 2025, alongside Dutch journalist Sophie Van Leeuwen, he has been forced into hiding due to threats to his life and safety. ...

Jos Leijdekkers, a.k.a. Boll Jos, remains in the headlines of Sierra Leone's newspapers despite the president's denial that he knows the wanted Dutch criminal Bolle Jos, reportedly his daughter's boyfriend or husband.  Recently, videos surfaced showing Bolle Jos celebrating with high-ranking officials in Sierra Leone, prompting the government to announce that it has launched a search for the Dutch fugitive.  Meanwhile, a Dutch journalist covering the Bolle Jos case was detained in Sierra Leone. Shaken by her experience, journalist Sophie Van Leeuw left Sierra Leone and shared her observations about the oppressive methods used by the Maada Bio administration to silence dissent and restrict press freedom.  This week, further reports emerged revealing that the Sierra Leone government is bribing and threatening local journalists to prevent them from reporting on the wanted Dutch drug trafficker, Jos Leijdekkers. According to De Telegraaf, several reporters in hiding have disc...

In January 2013, Tablet , an online magazine focused on Jewish news and culture, featured Sierra Leone's parliament, which was built with Israeli assistance. The article, with the headline "The Al-Aqsa of Africa," paid homage to the building, symbolizing the long-standing relationship between Israel and the African continent. Since Sierra Leone's Siaka Stevens severed diplomatic relations with Israel following the Yom Kippur War, Israel and Sierra Leone have gradually rebuilt their diplomatic ties, which date back to the 1960s. Over the years, 657 Sierra Leoneans have benefited from various programs in agriculture, women's empowerment, education, health, community sustainability, and renewable energy, among others. In 2017, this relationship deepened with the visit of then-president Ernest Bai Koroma, marking the first-ever visit of a Sierra Leonean president to Israel. During the Ebola virus epidemic, Israel was also the first country to deliver humanitarian aid ...

  On this International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims, Sierra Leoneans have a right to know the truth about the human rights violations inflicted upon Sorieba.  On November 26, 2023, he was tortured by the militia loyal to Maada Bio. A few years before his extrajudicial killing, Sorieba was forced to retire from the police force when Bio assumed office in 2018.  Watch here .  Maada Bio has employed torture and extrajudicial killings to silence dissent, evade accountability, and manipulate the government of Sierra Leone to attack opponents of his administration and its unlawful actions.  Meanwhile, today’s headline in one of Europe’s most respected newspapers, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, focuses on the relationship between the President of Sierra Leone and cocaine drug lord Jos Leijdekkers.  The article carries the headline " Fat Joe and His Friend, The President ," portraying Julius Maad...

Thursday's newspapers from Sierra Leone report that Maada Bio's daughter is the hidden force behind the wall of steel protecting Jos Liejdekkers, a Dutch fugitive described as a drug baron who is wreaking havoc on the country. According to Kamarainba Mansaray, who reportedly met with Dutch journalists, Liejdekkers allegedly used bribery to entice government officials, ensuring his security even after the Dutch government requested that Sierra Leone extradite him. The newspaper confirms that there is no extradition treaty between the two countries. Mansaray also asserted that Liejdekkers has significant financial interests in both Sierra Leone and the United States.

  A vehicle traveling from Sierra Leone to Monrovia through Lofa County was intercepted this week by the Joint Security of Foya District, led by the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA). Acting on a tip-off, the LDEA-led team stopped the vehicle and escorted it to the Foya Police Station for a detailed inspection. The street value of the significant drug shipment is estimated at $77,200. According to FrontPage Africa , on the night of March 17 at around 10:45 PM, the Joint Security team received information about a black pickup truck with a Liberian license plate transporting narcotics. Upon interception, the driver initially claimed to be transporting clothes and slippers for sale. However, a thorough search revealed 772 plates of high-grade marijuana, valued at approximately $77,200 (14,668,000 Liberian dollars), as well as eight boxes of Tramadol worth an additional 160,000 Liberian dollars. The driver was immediately arrested and is currently under investigation. He is expect...

 

On March 6, Dutch Minister of Justice David van Weel announced on X (formerly known as Twitter) that he had a conversation with his colleague, Alpha Sesay, Sierra Leone's Attorney General and Minister of Justice. A significant topic of discussion was the Dutch extradition request for Jos Leijdekkers , who is wanted for serious crimes. Van Weel noted strong indications that Leijdekkers is currently in Sierra Leone. He emphasized that discussions like these are vital for combating transnational organized crime. Thomas Dixon , a Sierra Leonean journalist, reported that Maada Bio has relieved Alusine Kanneh of his position as head of the immigration service after a video surfaced showing Kanneh partying with Leijdekkers, who is known as Omar Sherriff in Sierra Leone. A bulletin from Emmanuel Gaima, secretary to the president in Sierra Leone, announced that Moses Tiffa Baio has been appointed as the new Chief Immigration Officer, effective March 7. An article on FTM published on March 7...

  A new report released Tuesday by an anti-transnational crime group has identified the core chemical components of kush. This synthetic drug has swept through Sierra Leone and the region in the past few years. The report by the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime conducted the first known testing of the most common varieties of kush available in Sierra Leone and neighboring West African countries. The research confirms that kush is composed of synthetic opioids, some of which are 25 times stronger than fentanyl, and synthetic cannabinoids commonly found in European drug markets. Nitazenes are deadly synthetic opioids that have spread across global retail drug markets, including European countries, particularly since 2022, the report reads. One of the nitazenes detected in Kush is 25 times more potent than fentanyl. One of the report's authors described the path that Kush is taking to arrive in West Africa in a statement to the international press. Increasingl...

Hawa Hunt is being held indefinitely in Sierra Leone, as there has been no trial or court appearance since December 2024.  This week, David Pratt, a former defense minister in Canada and the honorary consul of Sierra Leone for over a decade, submitted a letter of resignation in protest to Sierra Leone's High Commissioner to Canada. In his resignation letter , dated February 19, 2025 , the former consul expressed deep concern about the continued detention of Hawa Hunt, a Canadian citizen born in Sierra Leone. Hawa was jailed for old social media posts criticizing Maada Bio and his wife. Since her arrest, she has not been seen except for a live television appearance, during which she was forced to apologize shortly after her detention.  According to the Calgary Herald , which reported the honorary consul's resignation in protest, multiple bail requests have been denied.  Last week, Dutch journalist Sophie van Leeuwen was also detained briefly in Sierra Leone while she was ...

  Last week, Thomas Dixon, a journalist from Sierra Leone with  17,500 followers on X (formerly known as Twitter), reported that the police in Sierra Leone confiscated a secure digital (SD) card from Dutch journalist Sophie van Leeuwen after deleting everything on her personal computer and mobile phone. Unnamed sources familiar with the police's actions claimed that the SD card was held for security reasons. Dixon stated that human rights activists demanded the return of the SD card and a public apology for the journalist's harassment.  In a post  on X (formerly known as Twitter), Sophie shared a photo of herself looking distraught, peering out of a ferry window as it made its way across the lagoon. " My work has been destroyed, and my colleague Joseph Turay fears for his life, " she wrote, adding that there was no press freedom in Sierra Leone. On Facebook, Sophie is listed as a freelance journalist and RTL Nieuws's African correspondent, with ties to BNR Nieu...

West Africa has a rich rice cultivation history, making it an excellent region for growing this crop. Yet, experts point out that the increasing dependency on rice imports stems from a need for more significant agricultural investment, rapid population growth, and low-cost rice availability from Asia.  European colonialists once referred to parts of West Africa as the Rice Coast (Sierra Leone) and the Gold Coast (Ghana). Today, however, these regions are often called  cocaine coasts, particularly in countries like Colombia. Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated during a live government meeting that cocaine is viewed as "no worse than whiskey" and is only considered illegal because it originates from Latin America.  Colombia is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocaine, primarily supplying the United States and Europe. The country has spent decades battling drug trafficking. During the war in Sierra Leone, abducted kids were often supplied with drugs. Marijua...