Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Bio, and close family members have acquired a series of high-value properties in The Gambia, raising questions about the source of funding behind the transactions.
An investigation by The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project has found that since assuming the role of First Lady, Madam Bio has personally acquired four properties in The Gambia. Additionally, a luxury villa valued at $500,000 was purchased in the name of her mother.
Documents reviewed by The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project also reveal that Fatima Bio’s half-brothers have been actively involved in the property market, bringing the total number of real estate transactions involving the First Lady and her relatives to at least ten, with an estimated value exceeding $2.1 million between 2020 and 2024.
Intriguingly, paperwork for three of the properties — including the villa owned by Mrs. Bio’s mother — was signed by a prominent Sierra Leonean government contractor. When contacted, the contractor denied any involvement in the purchases, despite his name appearing on key documentation.
Repeated requests for comment from the First Family on who financed the real estate deals and the origin of the funds went unanswered.
Public records examined by the Organized Crime and Corruption Project Reporting including tax filings, employment histories, and asset declarations — indicate that prior to assuming the position of First Lady, Fatima Bio, her mother, and her half-brothers appeared to have modest financial backgrounds.
The revelations are likely to intensify public scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest and questions of financial transparency at the highest levels of government.
Credit: The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project
