Opposition figures in Sierra Leone have accused Dutch cocaine trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, also known as Chubby Jos, of securing protection in the country by fathering a child with President Julius Maada Bio’s daughter, Agnes Bio.
Leijdekkers, 34, has been on the run for over two years while facing European authorities. He is wanted for multiple convictions in the Netherlands and Belgium, with prison sentences totalling 74 years.
Opposition leader Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray claims the child was born in New York and alleges the Bio administration has shielded Leijdekkers from extradition efforts.
Public appearances raise eyebrows
Footage from social media shows Leijdekkers attending events with the Bio family, including a New Year’s church service and a private birthday party for Sierra Leone’s immigration chief, Alusine Kanneh.
At the March 2024 birthday party, Leijdekkers was filmed presenting a gift to Kanneh, further raising questions about his relationship with top government officials.
Reports indicate that he remained in Sierra Leone while his alleged child was born in New York, even as President Bio visited his daughter and grandchild during the UN General Assembly.
Legal troubles and extradition requests
Leijdekkers has a €200,000 reward on his head and faces additional charges, including torture and murder. He was sentenced to eight years in Belgium in September 2024, adding to a previous 50-year term across Europe.
In the Netherlands, he received a 24-year prison sentence for his involvement in six major cocaine shipments. Dutch authorities have formally requested his extradition, which remains unresolved.
Sierra Leone’s communications ministry responded to the allegations, stating that President Bio had “no knowledge of the identity or the issues detailed” regarding Leijdekkers.