Sierra Leone's ex-film star first lady 'still rents south London council flat' despite living in presidential Freetown mansion
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Sierra Leone's first lady is still listed as the tenant of a south London council flat, despite having lived in a luxury mansion for the last seven years and owning several properties in Africa, it has been alleged.
Former model and actress Fatima Jabbe-Bio, 44, has been primarily based in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, since her husband, Julius Maada Bio became president of the country in 2018.
The couple live in a presidential lodge on sprawling grounds in the hills above the city, which boasts a swimming pool, tennis court and helipad.
However, records show that Jabbe-Bio - who was born in Sierra Leone - has listed her two-bedroom council flat address on the electoral register several times since 2009.
Southwark Council has also confirmed there has been no change of tenant since 2007, The Times reported.
It is also understood that the president's wife, who has appeared in a number of low-budget Nigerian films, registered a company at that address in 2008.
According to Southwark Council's own guidelines, to be included on the housing register an individual must prove that they have lived in Southwark continuously for the past five years, or that they work in Southwark and have a housing need, or they have served in the regular armed forces within five years of the date of the application.
Additionally, a person cannot be included on the housing register if they own their own home or other residential accommodation.
Housing regulations also require that such a property is the tenant's only or principal residence.
Yet this does not seem to be the case for Jabbe-Bio, according to a report published today by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, which claims that the first lady owns an extensive portfolio in Africa.
This includes two villas in the Gambia, a flat in a luxury estate and an entire apartment building.
Jabbe-Bio met her husband in London in 2012, after Maada Bio had secured the presidential nomination of the Sierra Leone People's Party, the country's main opposition party. The couple married a year later.
Maada Bio, 60, formerly served as a brigadier during Sierra Leone's civil war in the 1990s. The pair resided at the council flat until 2018, when Maada Bio was elected as president.
Neighbours have reportedly seen Jabbe-Bio return on visits to the flat in Southwark, and claim Tigda Soley, her daughter from a previous marriage, has collected post addressed to her mother and the president.
In January, it was revealed that the total number of households waiting for social housing in London was 336,366 - the highest level for more than a decade.
A spokesperson for Southwark Council said: 'Social housing tenants have a right to stay in their homes regardless of income, unless they fail to meet the obligations in their tenancy agreement.
'Where this is in doubt, we perform regular checks and investigations to determine whether those obligations are being met.'
A spokesperson 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.'
MailOnline has contacted Jabbe-Bio and President Bio for comment.
