Southwark Council has repossessed a two-bedroom social housing flat in London previously occupied by Fatima Jabbe-Bio, the First Lady of Sierra Leone. The action follows a 12-month investigation into her tenancy.
The repossession highlights efforts by London councils to tackle tenancy fraud and recover properties amid a severe social housing shortage, impacting thousands of families on waiting lists.
Southwark Council has confirmed it has repossessed a two-bedroom social housing flat in Walworth, London, linked to Fatima Jabbe-Bio, the First Lady of Sierra Leone. The action follows a 12-month investigation by the council's housing investigations team into her tenancy.
Reginald Popoola, Southwark's executive member for council homes, stated the property would be handed over to a family on the waiting list, returning it to its "original purpose" of housing those with legitimate need. The council emphasized that Bio has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing.
Bio, whose husband Julius Maada Bio is Sierra Leone's president, had reportedly divided her time between the UK and Sierra Leone since 2018. She previously defended her retention of the tenancy, stating her children are British citizens and that she paid for the council house herself. The case gained attention amid significant pressure on London's social housing, with over 18,000 households on Southwark's waiting list.
Pick the topics you care about. Get only what matters, on your cadence.