The First Lady of Sierra Leone, Fatima Jabbe-Bio, has lost possession of a council-owned flat in London after a year-long investigation by local authorities into the tenancy of the taxpayer-subsidised property.
Southwark Council confirmed that it had regained possession of the two-bedroom apartment in Walworth, south London, following a 12-month inquiry conducted by its Housing Investigations Team.
Jabbe-Bio, who has been listed as the tenant of the property since 2007, moved to Sierra Leone in 2018 after her husband, President Julius Maada Bio, won the country’s presidential election and assumed office.
Despite relocating to Sierra Leone, where the presidential family resides at the State Lodge in Freetown, the First Lady retained the tenancy of the London flat, maintaining that it continued to serve as accommodation for her children.
Under UK social housing regulations, council properties are generally required to serve as the tenant’s primary residence.
Announcing the recovery of the property, Southwark Council said the flat would now be returned to the local housing stock and allocated to residents with legitimate housing needs.
Reginald Popoola, Southwark Council’s executive member for council homes, said the authority had completed a year-long investigation before taking possession of the property.
He added that the recovered home would be made available to a family currently on the council’s waiting list, helping address ongoing housing pressures in the borough.
The tenancy attracted public scrutiny after questions were raised about whether the property remained occupied as a principal residence.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Jabbe-Bio defended her continued tenancy of the flat, insisting that she had not broken any laws.
She argued that her children are British citizens and stated that she personally paid the rent on the property.
Local residents, however, reportedly claimed that the flat appeared largely unoccupied in recent years and said they had not seen the First Lady since her departure for Sierra Leone.
The case has renewed attention on London’s growing social housing shortage.
Tens of thousands of households remain on waiting lists across the capital as councils struggle to meet demand for affordable homes.
In Southwark alone, more than 18,000 households are currently seeking social housing, with thousands living in temporary accommodation while awaiting permanent placements.
The council said it routinely investigates reports of tenancy fraud and unlawful occupation.
According to the authority, more than 100 properties have been recovered over the past two years and returned to residents in housing need.
The reclaimed Walworth property is expected to be reassigned in the coming weeks.
