Fatima Jabbe-Bio, the First Lady of Sierra Leone, retains a council flat in Southwark, south London, despite living in a presidential mansion in Freetown and reportedly owning multiple luxury properties in West Africa.
The Times reported last weel that Jabbe-Bio, 44, a former actress, left the UK in 2018 when her husband, Julius Maada Bio (main picture), became president.
Since then, the couple have resided in the state-owned presidential lodge in Sierra Leone’s capital.
However, electoral and council records indicate Jabbe-Bio has remained the tenant of a two-bedroom flat in Southwark since 2007 – potentially breaching tenancy rules requiring council homes to be a tenant’s primary residence.
ORGANISED CRIME
An investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) alleges Jabbe-Bio owns high-end properties including two villas in the Gambia, a luxury flat and an entire apartment block. Neighbours report sporadic visits to the Southwark property by Jabbe-Bio and her daughter, Tigda Soley, who was registered to vote at the address in 2023.
The revelation comes amid a worsening housing crisis in London, where over 336,000 households are on social housing waiting lists. In Southwark alone, more than 18,000 households are waiting, with average council rents a fraction of local market rates.
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
During her husband’s presidency, Jabbe-Bio has championed women’s rights and spoken at international forums including the UN. She was recently honoured as “First Lady of the Year” at a UK political awards event.
The first family has also drawn scrutiny for its association with Dutch drug lord Jos Leijdekkers, currently wanted by European authorities and reportedly residing in Sierra Leone, where he is in a relationship with President Bio’s daughter, a UN diplomat.
Southwark Council declined to comment on the tenancy – citing privacy – but confirmed routine checks are conducted to ensure compliance.
