Defiance of the Big Brother cop as she faces sack
‘Permission not granted’
A SCOTLAND YARD policewoman facing the sack for appearing on the Nigerian version of Big Brother without permission defended her actions yesterday.
PC Khafi Kareem, 29, who has been a poster girl for the force, defied bosses to appear on the TV show, where she has struck up a raunchy romance with a fellow contestant.
The officer, who works in Lambeth, south London, is now being investigated by the force for breaching professional standards. She had been told by her bosses not to appear on the show but decided to go ahead anyway during a period of unpaid leave.
Yesterday a statement was posted to her social media accounts which said that she is a ‘proud black female police officer who prides herself in her work’.
It said claims she slept with housemate Ekpata Gedoni, 31, on the show were in ‘poor taste’ and part of a ‘repressive culture of shaming and characterising women for their sexual decisions and life choices’.
A series of photos were uploaded to her Instagram account yesterday, including one of her wearing her police uniform and standing in front of a force motorbike.
Miss Kareem, who is currently nominated for eviction on the show, does not have access to a mobile phone and the statement on her social media pages was signed ‘Management’.
A spokesman said she will comment personally on the matter ‘when she can’ and the statement is ‘her position at this time’.
The churchgoing officer was previously a shop assistant and bit-part actress before enlisting with the Met as a special constable while at university. She joined the force full-time in 201 , motivated by the fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old school friend.
Miss Kareem, who speaks English, French, Italian, her native Yoruba and sign language, was last year pictured standing next to Scotland Yard Commissioner Cressida Dick and other female officers during a celebration of 100 years of women in the force.
While taking part in Big Brother, which offers £68,000 to the winner, she struck up a relationship with fashion entrepreneur Mr Gedoni.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said yesterday permission had not been granted to appear on the show and the Met did not support it, adding an investigation was being carried out.