Sewa News Stream

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 ...

The next president of Sierra Leone may be required to secure 20 percent of the valid votes cast in 11 of the 16 districts.  With an estimated population of 7 million and approximately 2 million registered voters, a 20 percent threshold equates to 44,000 people, or proportionally, 12,571 voters.  If the combined population of the 11 districts is 220,000, then multiplying 11 by 20,000 yields the target of 44,000 people, which is 20 percent of 220,000.  The national voter proportion is 28.57 percent, calculated by dividing 2,000,000 by 7,000,000.  The total number of district voters is 62,857, determined by multiplying 220,000 by 28.57 percent.  The target win is 12,571 voters, which is 20 percent of 62,857.  While these calculations may appear convoluted, they have reportedly informed the strategies of 2028 presidential contender David Sengeh, who is said to have utilized artificial intelligence to develop his own electoral formula.  However, civil socie...

Over the past decade, the United Kingdom has experienced several leadership changes, beginning with David Cameron and most recently including Andy Burnham.  While the United Kingdom maintained democratic legitimacy during transitions, as power shifted between elected officials, in  Sierra Leone, such changes often undermined democratic rule, with the suspension or disruption of elections and civil institutions.  British prime ministers serving from 2016 to 2026 include David Cameron (2010–2016), Theresa May (2016–2019), Boris Johnson (2019–2022), Liz Truss (2022), Rishi Sunak (2022–2024), Keir Starmer (2024–2026), and Andy Burnham (2026–present).  Political parties in Britain can replace their leaders through internal elections whenever a leader loses the confidence of a sufficient number of party members.  In contrast, Sierra Leone experienced a similar frequency of leadership changes within its first decade of independence. Still, these transitions were primar...

In industrially advanced countries, former presidents attending conferences is a common occurrence, and their experience and expertise are typically valued in international and regional events. By contrast, in Sierra Leone, President Julius Maada Bio has persistently sidelined his direct predecessor, Ernest Bai Koroma (pictured in an undated photo from the swearing-in ceremony for his second term), along with other former leaders who came to power through constitutional processes. Recently, members of Bio's administration, some of whom have previously expressed extreme views regarding opposition supporters and parties, have advocated for the return of Ernest Bai Koroma by supporting the dismissal of charges that labeled him an enemy of the state. These charges also placed his former appointees and family members at risk. Koroma held the last free and fair elections in 2018, which ushered in Julius Maada Bio as president.  Against this political backdrop, the contested 2023 presiden...

In April 2026, Ghana withdrew from a five-year, $109 million health agreement with the United States, citing concerns about the loss of regulatory control and the requirement to share sensitive health data in violation of Ghana's data protection laws. A Ghanaian official noted that granting access to citizens' data without safeguards raised health equity and constitutional concerns, and questioned the purpose of sharing such data with the United States. Zambia and Zimbabwe have faced similar challenges regarding health data sharing.  In December 2025, the United States signed four new global health Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with several African countries, including Sierra Leone. According to the U.S. Department of State, these agreements aim to strengthen U.S. leadership in combating infectious diseases and reduce reliance by foreign countries on U.S. taxpayers. According to the press statement, the United States will provide over $30 million in 2026 to Sierra Leone t...

In a recent media conversation, a member of parliament in Sierra Leone was asked whether MPs had engaged with law enforcement agencies over recent headlines.  Responding, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, leader of the opposition in the Parliament of Sierra Leone, said heads of drug enforcement departments and agencies in Sierra Leone have testified in parliament, but he feels MPs must summon them again to explain the strong allegations swirling around the world. He said the allegations are serious enough to require MPs to act and help address the reputational damage Sierra Leone is facing. Quoting from a letter shared by the MP, the television host asked him about his thoughts on the letter he shared: The letter read in part: " The European Parliament is now openly discussing sanctions and the possible suspension of development assistance to Sierra Leone over concerns about drug trafficking and the refusal to extradite individuals linked to transnational organized crime. This is a serious warni...

  In a rare social media address, Samura Kamara, Ph.D., presidential candidate in Sierra Leone's 2023 elections, delivered a direct message to his supporters almost a week after his 75th birthday.  Kamara, veteran economist and former foreign minister, finance minister, and Bank of Sierra Leone governor, staked his legacy on this milestone moment.  Kamara expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love, warmth, and goodwill from his many supporters. He thanked his well-wishers for their kind messages, calls, prayers, and moments of laughter shared, which have reminded him of what matters.  Reflecting on these bonds, he noted the unity among Sierra Leoneans and their shared hope for a better future.  Contested results from the election indicate Kamara won 1,148,262 votes compared to 1,566,932 for Julius Maada Bio. Following these results, Kamara's party, the All People's Congress, demanded a re-run, citing glaring irregularities.  On May 7, 2026, Kamara poste...

Ahead of Sierra Leone's flag day on April 27, social media commentators have expressed concerns that the next elections may be influenced well before 2028, following the widely discredited June 2023 elections.  Jeminatu Sesay shared an infographic highlighting the roles of institutions, funding, and narrative in shaping election outcomes before voting occurs.  She urged Sierra Leoneans to scrutinize the institutions overseeing the process, those setting the rules, the sources of political funding, and the individuals shaping public opinion.  Another analyst, Alfred Peter Conteh, noted that election laws were not upheld in 2023 . Edmond Alpha, chairman of the Elections Commission of Sierra Leone, who declined to publish the 2023 results as required by law, has indicated he does not plan to change his approach in 2028.  Last week, the embassies and high commissions of Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom expressed support for the International Mora...

During the same week, Zainab Sheriff was jailed for incitement on the orders of President Maada Bio, and his wife, Fatima, Kadiru Kaikai, an associate of the president, made violent election-related statements without apparent consequence. In a mobile phone video , Kaikai, affiliated with Spire USA Inc., stated in Krio that he would wage war in Sierra Leone if not made president in 2028. He estimated the conflict would cost $3.3 million and claimed to have budgeted for it, with plans to begin in Masiaka, a centrally located city. Meanwhile, representatives from the ECOWAS Commission, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, and the Commonwealth concluded a joint mission to Sierra Leone. They presented recommendations, including the urgent establishment of a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, as outlined in Recommendation 20 of the Tripartite Report, to review the electoral cycle, assess electoral preparedness, and guide legislative reforms ahead of t...

The silence from both media and watchdogs on the photograph of the president of Sierra Leone in church with drug lord Jos Leijdekkers, shared by the first lady, underscores a systemic lack of public accountability. Only two reporters, who fled for their safety, have addressed the issue.  Other than that, there's been no outrage from watchdogs or media outlets, no condemnation for hosting a convict wanted by the Netherlands, and no questioning of military and police chiefs who are allegedly receiving protection money from Leijdekkers or the president's daughter, who was received in the United States to have Leijdekkers' baby in New York.  As Sierra Leone's media pretend to look the other way, they devote time to outrage over a Freetown city council executive who refuses to call himself the deputy mayor amid the opposition boycott.  Meanwhile, Augustine Navo, a founding member of Foh Di Pupil Newspaper and a media developer, analyst, and legal practitioner based in Londo...

The  United States Army ROTC has posted a YouTube video  featuring Old Dominion University ROTC cadets who stopped a terrorist after he killed an ROTC professor of military science and injured two cadets. In the 17-minute video, the cadets share their experiences from inside the classroom for the first time. Cadet Louis Ancheta, who received the Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal, is a student at Old Dominion University and also serves in the U.S. Army Reserve. Cadet Wesley Myers, who also received a Meritorious Service Medal, explained that he was preparing to give a presentation that day and wanted to make sure everything was ready. Ancheta remembered Colonel Shaw’s advice that media issues are one of the biggest presentation problems. Despite feeling nervous, the class went smoothly, and Colonel Shaw was about to dismiss everyone. Cadet Oshea Bego, a military science IV student, said it was probably the only day the whole class stayed because of the presentations. C...