The UK Southwark Council has confirmed it has taken possession of a council property in Walworth, south London, linked to Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Bio, following a year-long investigation.
The move comes amid growing scrutiny over housing pressures and tenancy fraud in the borough, where demand for social housing continues to far outstrip supply.
According to the council, the property was recovered after a 12-month investigation by its Housing Investigations Team, and will now be returned to use for residents in genuine housing need.
Reginald Popoola, Southwark Council’s executive member for council homes, on Friday, said the council had reclaimed the property as part of ongoing efforts to tackle tenancy fraud and ensure fair access to social housing.
He added that the recovered home would be allocated to a family on the council’s waiting list, stressing that the priority was to restore council properties to their intended purpose.
In a wider statement on enforcement efforts, Popoola noted that the council had recovered more than 100 properties in the past two years through similar investigations.
The development comes weeks after Fatima Bio spoke in a BBC Global Women interview, where she discussed her personal journey, including her escape from child marriage, asylum in the UK, and rise to prominence.
The First Lady had previously defended her occupancy of the property, saying her children are British citizens, that she pays for the accommodation, and insisting she had committed no wrongdoing.
Authorities, however, clarified that she has not been accused of any criminal offence, adding that the investigation formed part of wider efforts to address tenancy fraud.
Southwark Council said more than 18,000 people are currently on its housing waiting list, underscoring the pressure on available social housing.
It added that the recovered property would be swiftly allocated to a local family in genuine need.