From Council Flat to Presidential Palace, Fatima Bio’s Property Scandal Stains Sierra Leone’s Image

The revelation that Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Jabbe-Bio, retains a subsidised council flat in #Southwark, #London, while residing in a lavish presidential mansion in #Freetown and linked to a property empire in The Gambia, has sparked outrage.

As reported by The Times, Daily Mail UK, and the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), these actions raise profound ethical questions about privilege, corruption and accountability casting a shadow over President Julius Maada Bio’s pledge to positively reshape Sierra Leone’s international image.

At the heart of this scandal lies a stark ethical dilemma regarding how she acquired the resources to make all of those alleged purchases, and can the First Lady justify holding onto a two-bedroom council flat, rented at £560 per month against a market rate of £2,232, when 336,000 London households languish on social housing waiting lists? This is not merely a personal choice. It is a glaring abuse of a system designed to support the vulnerable, not the privileged.

The ethical concerns are compounded by OCCRP’s investigation, which details how the First Lady and her family have acquired luxury properties in The #Gambia, including high-value real estate purchased shortly after President Bio took office. These transactions, coupled with her retention of the London flat, fuel suspicions of corruption and illicit enrichment. For most Sierra Leoneans, who are grinding with grappling poverty, this revelation stings. We are plagued by immense poverty and cannot afford leaders whose families appear to amass fortunes abroad while preaching reform at home.

President Bio’s anti-corruption rhetoric, once a beacon of hope, now rings hollow. Lara Tayor-Pearce, the former Auditor General was sacked for flagging irregularities in the Office of the President. The Bio family’s property dealings abroad suggest a pattern that undermines Sierra Leone’s credibility on the global stage. If the First Lady’s wealth is legitimate, then #transparency is essential. Her supporters deny ownership of the said properties, let them prove it. If not, it points to a betrayal of the public trust, a betrayal that strikes at the heart of President Bio’s promise to transform Sierra Leone’s image from one marred by #corruption and #mismanagement to a model of #governance and progress.

Sierra Leoneans, both at home and in the diaspora, deserve better. The diaspora, particularly in the UK, faces its own housing struggles and looks to our leaders for inspiration. Instead, they see a First Lady whose actions alienate the very communities she should champion. If President Bio’s vision for a reformed Sierra Leone is to endure, his family must embody the #integrity he preaches.

This scandal, however, is not an isolated incident. While Fatima Jabbe-Bio is in the spotlight, she is not an anomaly. Many politically exposed persons in the country often exploit the weak regulatory systems to accumulate wealth abroad. The Anti-Corruption Commission, tasked with rooting out graft, has failed to demonstrate the teeth needed to tackle high-level corruption. The Commissioner continues to be too close to high-ranking politicians including the First Lady instead of holding them accountability.

Similarly, our Financial Intelligence Unit is in a slumber. Our compliance with international anti-money laundering standards, such as those set by the Financial Action Task Force, lags far behind. Without robust mechanisms to scrutinise the finances of Politically Exposed Persons, #PEPs scandals like this will persist, eroding public confidence and deterring foreign investment. Appointing genuinely independent people to run these institutions is not just a matter of policy, it is a moral imperative for a nation striving to rise above its past.

As this scandal unfolds, it is crucial to avoid conflating it with unrelated issues, such as the Koidu Mining controversy. Fighting for worker’s rights in no way justifies corruption. Linking the two risks diluting the focus the broader systemic failures they expose. Sierra Leoneans deserve clarity, not a muddled narrative that obscures accountability and seeks to hide corruption.

President Bio’s usual reticent must end. He cannot continue to sweep these issues under the carpet or pretend they do not exist. He must address them head-on, starting with full transparency about his family’s finances. The First lady as a public figure has a responsibility to lead by example. Relinquishing the Southwark flat and clarifying the source of her family’s wealth would be a good start. For President Bio, it is not late to prove that his anti-corruption promises are more than rhetoric. Sierra Leone’s image abroad and the trust of its people hangs in the balance.