South African officials have arrested Anabela Rungo, the mother of reigning Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, Chidimma Adetshina, on allegations of contravening the country’s immigration laws.
In a statement late Sunday, the Department of Home Affairs said the dramatic detention took place at a property in Cape Town on Saturday, led by investigators from the department and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The department withdrew Rungo’s South African documentation last September after authorities discovered it had been fraudulently obtained.
The withdrawal rendered her ineligible to continue residing in South Africa.
“In an apparent act of brazen disregard for the legal consequences of her conduct, it appears that Ms Rungo has defied her ‘undesirable’ status through her Mozambican passport,” the statement said.
It said investigations are ongoing into “further potential misrepresentation and fraudulent conduct” by 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.”
During the operation, authorities found Adetshina’s child residing with Rungo.
Adetshina, a former law student, had previously faced her own set of challenges in South Africa.
In August last year, she withdrew from the Miss South Africa competition after Home Affairs announced that her mother might have committed identity theft to obtain South African nationality.
Subsequently, Adetshina she contested in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, which she won.
She then represented Nigeria at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico and finished as the first runner-up.
The 24-year-old was also crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania as the highest ranked African Contestant of 2024.
The Department of Home Affairs announced the withdrawal of Adetshina’s ID papers in October, further entangling her and her family in legal and immigration controversies.
JN/APA