Reported by: Puis Althea | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Former Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, has appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court to challenge the South African Department of Home Affairs' effort to deport her, with the court reserving judgment on whether she should be detained pending deportation until August 19, 2026. The 25-year-old beauty queen, who was arrested in Cape Town in June 2026 over allegations that she is residing in South Africa illegally, attended the hearing on Monday, July 20, 2026, where her legal team and state prosecutors presented arguments on the lawfulness of the deportation process.
The Department of Home Affairs is seeking a court order confirming Adetshina's detention pending deportation. State prosecutors argued that Adetshina lacks the required immigration documents to remain in the country and should be detained. They also alleged that she still holds a South African passport, which she has refused to surrender, despite also holding Nigerian citizenship. According to the prosecution, Adetshina obtained Nigerian passports for herself and her child in Lagos, secured a South African visa, and re-entered the country through Mozambique.
Adetshina's legal team, led by Advocate Giles Barclay-Beuthin, has argued forcefully against her detention, maintaining that she was born in South Africa, has no significant ties to Nigeria, and is not a flight risk. Barclay-Beuthin told the court that the Department of Home Affairs failed to conduct a fair investigation before invalidating her documents and noted that her citizenship remains the subject of a separate High Court challenge. He also argued that Adetshina's arrest after re-entering South Africa via Mozambique in June was an "ambush," pointing out that she had unsuccessfully applied for the prohibited person status to be uplifted days before arriving.
Her lawyers have proposed alternative measures to detention, suggesting that Adetshina report to an immigration officer every fortnight while the matter is resolved. The defence expressed confidence that the decision declaring Adetshina a prohibited person will be overturned. The proceedings were further complicated by a recent Western Cape High Court ruling that magistrates lack the authority to issue arrest warrants for immigration detention, a power reserved for immigration officers.
The case against Adetshina stems from the 2024 revocation of her South African identity documents, which were cancelled after authorities concluded that they had been obtained fraudulently by her mother. In 2024, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber revealed that Adetshina's South African identity document had been fraudulently obtained by her mother, Anabela Rungo. The controversy first erupted during Adetshina's participation in the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant, where questions over her nationality sparked intense public debate and widespread social media attacks due to her Nigerian heritage. She later withdrew from the competition, citing safety concerns, and was subsequently invited to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, which she won.
Following the Monday hearing, Adetshina shared an emotional message on her Instagram Stories, describing the toll the case has taken on her. "Exhausted – Yes, Burnt out – Yes, Depressed – Yes, Will I give up, No! We no dey carry last see you next month," she wrote. The presiding magistrate, Reema Khorana, reportedly encouraged both sides to settle the matter out of court, but no agreement was reached. The court is now scheduled to deliver its judgment on August 19, 2026.
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