The South African Department of Home Affairs has announced that preliminary investigations suggest fraud involving Miss SA contestant Chidimma Adetshina.
The Miss South Africa pageant has faced controversy ever since Chidimma Adetshina Onwe was named a contestant. Many South Africans took to social media to voice their concerns, questioning how she could participate given her Nigerian heritage.
Chidimma’s mother is Mozambican of Zulu descent, while her father is Nigerian. Despite this, Chidimma was born in South Africa, where she and her family were initially considered legal citizens.
However, recent events have taken a turn. Chidimma’s mother has been charged of fraud and identity theft. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has issued a gazette containing preliminary evidence of fraud committed by Chidimma Adetshina’s mother.
The pageant organizers had previously requested confirmation of Chidimma’s citizenship from the department. The government also stated that the continuing investigation into Adetshina’s citizenship, a contestant in the upcoming Miss SA pageant, has extended since the original request from the Miss SA organisers.
The organizers initially sent the department a request to authenticate Adetshina’s citizenship, along with written approval from both Adetshina and her mother.
The DHA investigation has so far revealed that:
- Chidimma Adetshina’s mother is a suspect in a fraud and identity theft case.
- Chidimma, as an infant at the time, could not have been involved in such illegal activities.
- Another South African woman was unable to register her child due to the scam.
The DHA stated that conversations are underway with all parties concerned, including Chidimma’s mother. The agency is also looking into officials who may have been involved in this fraudulent scheme and seeking legal guidance on how it may affect Chidimma’s citizenship status. After the inquiry is completed, criminal charges will be filed against all persons involved.
The gazette emphasized the need of handling duplicate IDs carefully, saying, “The case also highlights the reason for the department’s blocking of certain duplicate IDs and that the court-ordered unblocking of these documents must be handled with caution.”
Finally, the DHA stated, “Throughout this process, Home Affairs is guided by our commitment to both restoring and upholding the rule of law as well as the rights of all parties.”
This investigation is ongoing, and the outcome could have significant implications for Chidimma Adetshina’s future in the Miss SA pageant and her citizenship status.
