South Africa: the mother of Miss Universe Africa arrested for migration fraud

The South African authorities arrested Anabela Rungo, mother of Chidimma Adetshina, crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, for an alleged violation of the country’s immigration laws.

In a statement published on Sunday evening, the South African Interior Ministry confirmed that this spectacular arrest took place on Saturday in a property located in Cape Town, under the supervision of the investigators of the department and the South African Service (SAPS).

The authorities had canceled the South African documents of Anabela Rungo last September after having discovered that they had been obtained fraudulently, thus making its presence in illegal South Africa. “Despite this decision, Ms. Rungo seems to have ignored the legal consequences by using her Mozambican passport to bypass her unwanted ‘status”, said the press release. Investigators are currently examining other possible cases of falsification and fraud involving Ms. Rungo.

In addition, the press release adds that Ms. Rungo will be transferred to SAPS after being processed by the Interior Ministry for her illegal residence. It is also targeted by an in -law investigation carried out by the management of investigations on priority crimes. During the intervention, the authorities discovered that Chidimma’s child Adetshina lived with Mrs. Rungo. Adetshina, a former law student, had already faced similar problems in South Africa.

Last August, she withdrew from the Miss South Africa competition after the Interior Ministry revealed that her mother had fraudulently obtained South African nationality. Subsequently, she had participated in the Miss Univers Nigeria competition, which she had won.

Chidimma Adetshina then represented Nigeria at the Miss Universe 2024 competition in Mexico, where she finished first runner -up. Aged 24, she had also been crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, being the best classified African candidate for the 2024 edition.