A London council has taken back control of a social housing apartment rented by Sierra Leone’s first lady.
Fatima Jabbe-Bio’s South London two-bedroom council flat was seized by Southwark council 12 months after it was alleged her main residence was the presidential palace in Freetown. Married to Julius Maada Bio—Sierra Leone’s president—she appears to have broken housing rules which state that council properties should ordinarily be a tenant’s main residence.
Southwark’s executive member for council homes, Reginald Popoola, declared
We can confirm we have taken possession of a property in Walworth following a 12-month investigation by our housing investigations team.
While Jabbe-Bio has held the tenancy since 2007, there is no indication to date of her being charged with any offence.
