LONDON – A London local authority has taken back a two-bedroom social housing flat previously rented by Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Jabbe-Bio, following a year-long investigation into whether the property remained her primary residence.
The decision by Southwark Council to repossess the Walworth-based property marks the end of a tenancy that began in 2007 and has drawn public attention due to the tenant’s high-profile political status and long-term absence from the UK home.
According to reporting cited by Business Insider Africa, the council concluded its investigation into whether Jabbe-Bio had breached tenancy rules requiring occupants to use the property as their “only or principal home” and to notify authorities of extended absences exceeding 42 days.
Jabbe-Bio, 46, reportedly stopped living in the flat in 2018 after her husband, Julius Maada Bio, was elected president of Sierra Leone. Since then, the couple have resided at the Presidential Lodge in Freetown, the official state residence.
Southwark Council confirmed it had taken possession of the property following what it described as a 12-month housing investigation.
“We can confirm we have taken possession of a property in Walworth following a 12-month investigation by our housing investigations team,” said Reginald Popoola, Southwark’s executive member for council homes.
The council did not disclose full details of its findings or whether the tenancy was surrendered voluntarily. However, it confirmed that the property would now be reassigned to applicants on its social housing waiting list.
“I look forward to bringing this council property back to its original purpose, which is to provide a safe and secure home for people with legitimate housing need on the council’s waiting list,” Popoola added.
Under Southwark tenancy rules, council tenants are required to occupy their homes as their primary residence and inform the authority if they are absent for extended periods. The council also conducts routine compliance checks to prevent misuse of subsidised housing stock.
Jabbe-Bio has denied wrongdoing, insisting she continued paying rent and maintained ties to the United Kingdom, where her children reportedly hold citizenship.
“My children are all British citizens. I’m paying for my council house myself. I have not committed any crime,” she told the BBC.
No criminal charges have been brought against her, and the council has not suggested any finding of fraud or unlawful activity. The case centres instead on whether the occupancy rules governing social housing were breached.
The repossession comes amid mounting pressure on Britain’s social housing system. According to local housing data referenced by Business Insider Africa, more than 1.3 million households are currently on waiting lists in England, with London accounting for a significant share of unmet demand.
Southwark itself has more than 18,000 households on its housing register, alongside thousands more in temporary accommodation, highlighting the scale of housing shortages in the capital.
Housing officials say councils are increasingly stepping up enforcement against suspected tenancy breaches, including long-term absences and subletting, in an effort to free up stock for residents in genuine need.
Southwark Council said it has recovered more than 100 homes over the past two years through investigations into suspected tenancy misuse and unlawful occupation.
The Walworth property, located in a residential area in south London, is estimated to be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds on the private market, though council tenants typically pay significantly below-market rents under subsidised housing schemes.
The case has also drawn attention due to Jabbe-Bio’s background. Born in Sierra Leone, she moved to the UK as a teenager in the 1990s and later built a career in film and media before meeting Maada Bio in London during his time in exile politics.
She became First Lady following his election victory in 2018, and he was re-elected for a second term in 2023.
While the council’s decision resolves the tenancy issue, it also highlights broader tensions facing London’s strained housing system, where limited supply continues to drive strict enforcement of eligibility and occupancy rules across social housing estates.
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