In the twilight glow of Lumley evenings, Chapter One shines as Sierra Leone’s latest jewel in entertainment: a high‑end nightclub, restaurant, and multiplex of luxury, opened amid fanfare, ambition, and the promise of urban renewal. But behind the golden lights and velvet ropes, a question lingers: Who really owns this? And is it somehow connected to Jos Leijdekkers—nicknamed Bolle Jos—a man wanted for major drug trafficking in Europe? What publicly is known: the declared owner and an official position?
The Sierra Leone government has formally stated that Chapter One is owned by a Sierra Leonean entrepreneur, named Fassally Tarawally. According to the State House and supporting media, Tarawally is a business mogul in the entertainment/hospitality sector, who had already established success with his Chapter One venue in Bo, before launching the Lumley complex in Freetown.
During the unveiling of the Chapter One Multipurpose Center (which includes nightclub, restaurant, bar, etc.), President Julius Maada Bio publicly praised it as “Sierra Leonean‑owned and built,” and lauded the contribution of private sector investment to job creation, tourism, and culture.
So in official accounts, the owner is Tarawally; the establishment is legit, local, with visible investment, employing local labour, and part of a larger vision for economic and cultural growth.
Who is Jos “Bolle Jos” Leijdekkers, and what are the allegations?
The man at the center of many of the rumours is Jos Leijdekkers, aka Bolle Jos. He is a Dutch national, convicted in absentia by a Rotterdam court in 2024 (June) to 24 years in prison for orchestrating large‑scale cocaine trafficking (smuggling more than seven tonnes), among other charges.
Leijdekkers has been listed among Europol’s most wanted fugitives, with authorities alleging that he has laundered tens of millions of euros and handled large quantities of gold connected with his trafficking network.
Moreover, there are multiple news reports and video evidence indicating that he has been present in Sierra Leone since early 2023. One notable instance: he was seen at a church service in the president’s home village (Tihun) on January 1, 2025, in a seat close to the presidential family and reportedly next to Agnes Bio, the president’s daughter.
The government’s response, aliases, and the “false name”
Faced with mounting media attention, the Sierra Leonean government has made several statements:
It asserted that the President was unaware of the identity of the person in the photographs or videos, including whether it was Leijdekkers.
The government also said it had not received any formal communication from foreign authorities about Leijdekkers in regard to Sierra Leone.
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone Police have conducted “open source investigations” and claimed that the man seen in public alongside the president has been using the name “Umarr Sheriff” (or “Omar Sheriff”) — an alias or false name, according to them.
Thus the alias “Umarr Sheriff / Omar Sheriff” emerges in public records as the name reportedly used in Sierra Leone to refer to the person many allege is Leijdekkers, perhaps in an attempt (accidental or intentional) to conceal or complicate identification.
Rumors, suspicions: Is Chapter One owned by “Bolle Jos”?
The question is: Could Chapter One Night Club suggestively be his own, or at least partially funded by his illicit enterprises? Some of the suspicions stem from:
Proximity in social settings: If the person alleged to be Leijdekkers was seen at high‑profile events near the presidency and in contexts of luxury in Freetown, some believe that might be consistent with ability to invest in high‑cost venues.
Alias use: If the same individual is using alternate names in Sierra Leone, the argument goes; perhaps to hide the true identity of the ownership is what is raising questions about its hidden control or influence.
Lack of transparent financial disclosure: No public financial records have been made available that show how Chapter One was financed in detail (e.g. capital sources, investors, loans, foreign or domestic, etc.), which leaves room for speculation.
Media speculation: Some media outlets and public commentators have suggested the possibility, based on proximity, photos, rumors, and the large sums needed to build such a luxury complex, that someone like Leijdekkers could be involved. But so far, no credible evidence in open, verifiable sources has conclusively proven that Chapter One is his property, or that he financed it.
What is unproven (and what may never be known without investigations)
There is no publicly verifiable document showing that Leijdekkers (or alias “Umarr Sheriff”) holds legal title or shares in Chapter One.
There is no known financial forensics or audit published showing illicit funds were used in the construction or operations of Chapter One under his control or influence.
The government’s official line asserts that the owner is Tarawally, that the venture is local, and that any connections to Leijdekkers (if they exist) are unproven.
Reports of a romantic or familial link between Leijdekkers and President Bio’s daughter, while repeated in multiple sources, have not been independently confirmed in reliable public documents.
The significance: power, trust, and public interest
Why does this matter? Because when a high‑profile entertainment complex opens in the capital, especially under an administration that talks about zero tolerance for organized crime, patterns of foreign investment, transparency, and public accountability come into focus. If indeed a person wanted for major drug trafficking owns or is benefiting from such a venue, it would raise serious issues of governance, corruption, and rule of law.
On the other hand, false or speculative claims can also cause serious damage to reputation, trust, and possibly legal liability. It is important that allegations are proven, evidence is well sourced, and judicial or investigative mechanisms are strong and impartial.
So where does this leave us?
Publicly, Chapter One is owned by Fassally Tarawally, a Sierra Leonean entrepreneur.
Jos “Bolle Jos” Leijdekkers remains a convicted, wanted criminal in Europe, alleged to be in Sierra Leone, seen in some high‑profile settings, and possibly using the alias Umarr (or Omar) Sheriff in local contexts.
But no verified proof links Leijdekkers formally to Chapter One’s ownership or financial investment (as of current publicly available records).
Thus, the question remains: Is Chapter One secretly the property of “Bolle Jos,” hidden behind alias, a front, or is ownership genuinely local and clean? The answer, remains in suspense, and continues to wallow in the minds of concerned citizens.
The Reuters news agency coverage of Jos Leijdekkers’ presence in Sierra Leone and its investigations of his high‑level links with the Government also continue to heap doubts over the ownership of Chapter One. Also, the quick announcement by Sierra Leone State House media that Chapter One is owned by a Sierra Leonean entrepreneur, Fassally Tarawally seems to leave much more doubts.
The Netherland Times and other Dutch reporting on alias “Umarr Sheriff” used by Sierra Leonean authorities in referring to the alleged fugitive and Government’s statements of having no knowledge about the whereabouts of Jos Leijdekkers casts unfathomable doubts over the actual ownership of the almighty Chapter One Entertainment Center.