Chidimma Adetshina Back in Court Over Deportation Case

Former Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, was in a South African court on Thursday as the government continued efforts to deport her.

The 25-year-old beauty queen has faced a long immigration issue since her arrest in Cape Town in June. She was accused of living in South Africa without valid immigration status.

During Thursday’s hearing at the Cape Town Regional Court, Adetshina submitted an affidavit. In it, she explained the steps she had taken to regularise her stay in South Africa to avoid deportation, as reported by The Cable.

The case was adjourned until Monday so the South African government can respond to her claims.

Adetshina’s legal issues started with questions about her citizenship. This became a hot topic when she joined the 2024 Miss South Africa pageant.

Concerns about her nationality led her to pull out of the competition. She cited worries for her safety and that of her family as her reasons for leaving.

Later, she was invited by the Silverbird Group to compete in the 2024 Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, where she won. She represented Nigeria at the Miss Universe contest and finished as first runner-up, the best result ever for a Nigerian contestant.

Adetshina was born in Soweto to a Nigerian father of Igbo heritage and a mother from Mozambique. Her citizenship has been under legal scrutiny in South Africa.

Adrian Jackson, an immigration officer, filed an affidavit stating that investigations by the Department of Home Affairs found Adetshina and her young son were living in South Africa without legal residency.

Jackson said immigration officials conducted checks and interviews, concluding she did not have valid documents to stay in the country.

He argued that her continued presence violates South Africa’s Immigration Act and asked the court to allow her detention until she is deported.

These recent court actions followed a previous decision by South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber. In March, he rejected Adetshina’s request to review the department’s denial of her application for a letter of good cause.

Schreiber stated that in September 2024, the department informed Adetshina of plans to cancel her identity documents and those of her son, but she did not respond.

The minister claimed Adetshina obtained a Nigerian passport before applying for a South African visitor’s visa with what authorities called a fraudulent bank statement, which led to her application being denied.

According to Schreiber, Adetshina was declared a prohibited person on December 19, 2024. This status means she cannot get a visa or any permit to stay in South Africa.

He also claimed that she re-entered South Africa through the Lebombo border from Mozambique, pretending to be a South African citizen while seeking more immigration help.

The minister added that her son’s immigration application was also turned down because it depended on hers, leaving the child with no legal right to stay in the country.

The court is set to resume hearing the case on Monday after the state submits its responses.