London council seizes social housing flat rented by Sierra Leone first lady

Southwark Council in London has confirmed that it has repossessed a two-bedroom social housing flat in Walworth that was previously rented by Sierra Leone's first lady, Fatima Jabbe-Bio.

Jabbe-Bio, who is married to President Julius Maada Bio, had been named on the tenancy since 2007. Since her husband was elected in 2018, she has divided her time between Sierra Leone and Britain. Housing rules require that council properties should ordinarily be a tenant's principal residence. An investigation by the Times newspaper raised questions about whether this condition was met after neighbours reported rarely seeing Jabbe-Bio.

Announcing the recovery, Reginald Popoola, Southwark's executive member for council homes, said the property was taken back after a 12-month investigation by the housing investigations team. He stated that the flat would be handed to a family on the waiting list, restoring it to its original purpose of providing safe housing for those with legitimate need.

The case gained significant attention after reports that Jabbe-Bio retained the tenancy despite spending most of the year at the presidential lodge in Freetown, Sierra Leone. In an interview with the BBC, she defended keeping the flat, rejecting suggestions of impropriety. She said her children are British citizens and that she pays for the flat herself, adding that she has not committed any crime. There is no suggestion that Jabbe-Bio has been charged with any offence.

The repossession comes amid acute pressure on social housing in London, with growing waiting lists, rising homelessness, and increased demand for temporary accommodation. In Southwark alone, over 18,000 households are on the social housing waiting list, and around 4,000 are in temporary accommodation. Local authorities have intensified efforts to combat tenancy fraud; the council reports recovering 107 properties in the last two years.

Southwark Council did not disclose detailed findings of its investigation into Jabbe-Bio's tenancy.