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The leader of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) in the Sierra Leone Parliament, Honourable Abdul Kargbo has responded to news of the arrest of Turkish cocaine kingpin, Abdullah Alp Üstun with a diplomatic Sierra Leonean passport. The APC politician pleaded with the government to be transparent over the issue and treat it with urgency.
Reacting to reports that surfaced online on Saturday night, Kargbo said that this recent discovery is a big blow to the image of Sierra Leone.
“The embarassment to our beloved nation, Sierra Leone, continues unabated,” Kargbo wrote.
He added that this new scandal is another “shameful and deeply troubling pattern” bent on tarnishing the image of Sierra Leone.
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The opposition parliamentarian also referenced several cocaine trafficking cases implicating Sierra Leone, including the discovery of tonnes of cocaine in the Sierra Leone Ambassador to Guinea’s vehicle and the spotting of known European druglord, Jos Leijdekkers in Sierra Leone.
Kargbo is also frustrated with the issuance of Sierra Leonean passports to criminals.
“One is left to wonder how many more international criminals have been illegally granted Sierra Leonean nationality?” he enquired.
He added that the entire cocaine saga, including the recent Üstun case has reduced Sierra Leone to “ridicule” and raised serious questions about the integrity of the Sierra Leonean passport.
The opposition politician also cited the unwillingness of the government of Sierra Leone to extradite, cocaine kingpin, Jos Leijdekkers to Europe for trials. “Sierra Leone continues to harbour him and his cartel, providing a safe haven for organised crime,” Kargbo said.
He added that this reluctance by the government depicts the country as one where “impunity thrives and criminals find comfort under official protection”.
Kargbo pleaded with the government to be transparent with the issue and ensure that it is never repeated.
Some Sierra Leoneans online went berserk after news surfaced on Saturday night that Turkish druglord, Abdullah Alp Üstun alias Don Vito was extradited from Dubai with Sierra Leonean diplomatic passport. Üstun is a known associate of European wanted cocaine kingpin, Jos Leijdekkers, who was spotted in Sierra Leone on multiple occasions.
Although, the Sierra Leone government denies any association with Leijdekkers, independent reporting spotted the Dutch druglord attending mass with the First family on New Year’s Day, 2025 and attending a birthday party of the erstwhile Sierra Leone’s Chief Immigration Officer, Alusine Kanneh.
Leijdekkers is reported to also be in possesseion of a diplomatic Sierra Leonean passport.
