Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina is once again at the centre of a legal dispute in South Africa, where authorities are pursuing deportation proceedings linked to her citizenship status.
The 25-year-old beauty queen, who was born in Soweto to a Nigerian father, appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court on June 9 after she was arrested earlier this month.
She was later released on warning and is expected to return to court on July 16, when the matter will continue.
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs is seeking her deportation, arguing that she no longer has valid legal status to remain in the country.
According to court documents cited by South African media, immigration officer Adrian Jackson stated in an affidavit that official records showed Chidimma Adetshina does not hold valid South African residency, despite being born in the country.
The dispute dates back to 2024 when South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs began investigating her citizenship.
Authorities alleged that her birth was registered through the fraudulent use of a stolen South African identity by her mother, Anabela Rungo.
The department also claimed that three Home Affairs officials were involved in processing the registration. One of the officials has since died, while investigations into the remaining two are ongoing.
Rungo, who is reportedly a Mozambican national, was arrested in February 2025 in connection with the alleged identity fraud. Following the investigation, South African authorities cancelled both her documentation and that of Chidimma Adetshina.
South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, said Adetshina was informed in September 2024 that her South African documents would be withdrawn but allegedly did not respond to the notice.
Schreiber further claimed that she later obtained a Nigerian passport before applying for a South African visa using what authorities described as a fraudulent bank statement. He said this resulted in her being declared a prohibited person in December 2024.
The minister also alleged that Adetshina later entered South Africa through the Lebombo border from Mozambique while presenting herself as a South African citizen.
Authorities said she subsequently submitted another application to remain in the country, as well as a separate application on behalf of her son. Both applications were reportedly rejected.
The latest legal proceedings come nearly two years after Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the 2024 Miss South Africa pageant following intense public debate over her citizenship.
At the time, the controversy generated widespread discussion across social media, with many supporters arguing that she had been unfairly targeted because of her Nigerian heritage through her father.
After leaving the South African competition, Adetshina accepted an invitation to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe competition. She went on to deliver a strong performance, finishing as the first runner-up and earning international recognition.
As the legal process continues, the court has directed Chidimma Adetshina to remain at her current residential address.
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She has also been instructed to notify immigration authorities of any changes to her residence, employment or travel arrangements while awaiting her next court appearance.
The outcome of the July 16 hearing is expected to determine the next stage of the deportation proceedings and could have significant implications for her immigration status in South Africa.
