The Sierra Leone Advocacy Movement (SLAM-Global) has issued a sharp rebuke to the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), criticizing its latest Sierra Leone Country Summary for what it calls “serious omissions, accountability gaps, and misleading narratives” that risk undermining the effectiveness of American assistance.
In a letter dated June 5, 2025, addressed to the INL Officer-in-Charge at the U.S. Embassy in Freetown, SLAM-Global outlined multiple areas where it believes the summary fails to reflect the realities of Sierra Leone’s governance and law enforcement environment. The organization accuses the INL report of ignoring major corruption cases, downplaying the narcotics crisis, and omitting critical data that would inform responsible aid interventions.
“Bolle Jos” and the Kush Crisis Ignored
Top of SLAM’s concerns is the continued presence of convicted Dutch drug trafficker Johannes “Bolle Jos” Leijdekkers, who reportedly lives freely in Sierra Leone despite international warrants and video footage showing senior immigration officials celebrating with him. The letter criticizes the INL for not acknowledging this or the November 2024 cocaine seizure at Lungi Airport, among other high-profile drug enforcement failures.
SLAM also highlights the Kush public health emergency declared by the Bio administration in April 2024, which has killed or hospitalized thousands of young Sierra Leoneans. According to the letter, fewer than 300 people have completed rehabilitation—only 40 of them women—underscoring a major gender gap in treatment that the INL report fails to mention.
Oversight, Not Optics
The advocacy group warns that omitting the role of grassroots civil society and paralegal networks—which document overdose deaths and track abuses during raids—undermines the entire foundation of narcotics assistance. “Without them, oversight collapses the moment the donor helicopter lifts off,” the letter states.
They further accuse the INL of focusing on “public-order training” while ignoring reports of chained patients, beatings, and the lack of inquests into wrongful deaths during Kush raids.
Justice Reform and Corruption Unaddressed
While the INL report references judicial reforms, SLAM points out it fails to grapple with the “huge backlog” of unsentenced inmates, despite the passage of the 2024 Criminal Procedure Act. It also notes that Sierra Leone remains under enhanced follow-up by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for weak anti-money laundering controls—yet the INL summary fails to mention this or the findings of recent U.S. audits on INL grant performance.
Another explosive claim involves a $2 million property spree allegedly involving First Lady relatives, traced to beach villas and a 70-bed hotel. SLAM criticizes the INL report for sidestepping this issue, even as drug money laundering is suspected through Gambia and Freetown real estate.
Political Blind Spot?
In a notable warning, SLAM flags what it calls a troubling absence of accountability from the All People’s Congress (APC)—a major opposition party that commands millions of votes. The organization says the APC has failed to mount any serious response to the narcotics crisis, either through parliamentary channels or civil society.
A Call for Accurate Reporting
SLAM-Global concludes its letter by urging the U.S. to base its assistance and assessments on full, accurate, and transparent reporting of Sierra Leone’s narcotics and governance challenges. “The brief gives anecdotes, not baselines,” the letter warns, calling for a re-evaluation of how U.S. agencies track and report on the effectiveness of their engagement in the country.
By Festus Brima Suluku
