Cape Town: Investigators from the Department of Home Affairs, along with the South African Police Service (SAPS), detained Anabela Rungo, the mother of Chidimma Adetshina, at a property in Cape Town on Saturday. This action follows the withdrawal of Rungo’s South African documentation in September 2024, after it was discovered that it had been fraudulently obtained, which rendered her ineligible to continue residing in South Africa.
According to South African Government News Agency, during yesterday’s operation, investigators from the Counter Corruption and Immigration Services branches of the department also found Adetshina’s under-aged child residing with Rungo. ‘After being processed by Home Affairs over her apparent illegal continued residence in South Africa, Ms Rungo will be handed over to the SAPS as she is also the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.’
In an official statement, Home Affairs highlighted the ongoing investigations into further potential misrepresentation and fraudulent conduct. The department is also liaising with the Department of Social Development and SAPS Child Protection Unit to protect the interests of the under-age child involved.
Adetshina withdrew from the Miss South Africa competition in August of last year after it was announced by the department that her mother might have committed ‘identity theft’ to obtain South African nationality. A former law student, Adetshina later won Miss Universe Nigeria after being invited to participate by the organisers. The department announced the withdrawal of her ID papers in October of last year.
The department has stated that it will provide further updates at opportune moments, and no interviews will be taken on this matter at this stage.