Sierra Leone's first lady defends having London council flat despite living in presidential palace: 'Not committed any crime'

Sierra Leone's first lady has defended having a London council flat despite living in a lush presidential palace at the same time.

Fatima Jabbe-Bio has continued to rent a two-bedroom flat in south London while insisting she has "not committed any crime" in doing so.

The former actress and model currently lives in a massive presidential residence in the capital of Sierra Leone, Freetown.

Despite leaving London in 2018 when her husband, Julius Maada Bio, won the presidency, the 45-year-old has continued to retain her tenancy in Southwark.

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Mrs Jabbe-Bio, a former actress and model, insisted she had “not committed any crime” by continuing to rent the two-bedroom flat in Southwark.

The first lady is reported to have resided at the flat from 2007 until 2018 in the borough where house prices average out around £673,487.

But she swapped out London in favour of the presidential pad over in Freetown, where she enjoys a series of luxuries, including tennis courts, a swimming pool and a helipad.

More than 18,000 are waiting for housing in Southwark, with some Britons facing up to five years of a wait.

Nevertheless, Mrs Jabbe-Bio has defended her dual-housing lifestyle.

"My children are all British citizens," she told the BBC. "I'm paying for my council house myself. I have not committed any crime."

Last year, it was revealed she had previously registered to vote at the property, indicating she was still a tenant.

However, council housing regulations demand such housing serves as the individual's "only or principal home".

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Neighbours previously claimed Mrs Jabbe-Bio had visited the property as recently as autumn in 2024.

"Last year in October or November, she came with these executive cars, black Mazdas, and entered the house," a resident told The Times last year.

Others recognised the first lady's 19-year-old daughter, whom she had from a previous marriage to a footballer.

Tigda Soley was registered to vote at the property's address in 2023 and has been said to have visited to collect post.

Last year, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project published a report which alleged the first lady owns two villas in the Gambia, a flat in a luxury estate as well as an entire block of flats.

Sierra Leonean-born Mrs Jabbe-Bio was raised in a Muslim family and has described herself as a practising Muslim.

She fled the country and moved to the UK in 1996 after escaping an arranged child marriage when she was 16.

A spokesman for Southwark Council said: "We cannot comment on individual tenancies.If there is doubt that tenants are meeting the obligations in their tenancy agreement, we carry out regular checks and investigations to determine that those obligations are being met.

“There is huge demand for council homes in Southwark and it's important they go to people in the very greatest need. We regularly take action to investigate allegations of tenancy fraud, and take appropriate action if tenancy fraud is discovered."

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