The Cape Town Regional Court is expected to rule on Wednesday, 19 August, on whether former Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adetshina should be detained pending possible deportation.
Adetshina was arrested in June after allegedly entering South Africa through the Lebombo border from Mozambique despite having been declared a prohibited person.
Home Affairs wants her detained while it pursues immigration processes against her.
The court previously reserved judgment after hearing arguments from Adetshina’s legal team and the department.
Travel documents cancelled in 2024
Adetshina’s identity and travel documents were cancelled in October 2024 following a Home Affairs investigation into her citizenship status.
The investigation centred on allegations that the person recorded as her mother may have committed fraud and identity theft when registering Adetshina’s birth.
Home Affairs previously said its investigation found prima facie indications of fraud involving Adetshina’s mother, while also stating that Adetshina could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions because she was an infant at the time.
Visa document also disputed
Adetshina’s lawyers say Home Affairs has conceded that she was not implicated in the alleged birth registration fraud.
However, according to EWN, she was later declared a prohibited person after a fraudulent bank statement was allegedly submitted as part of a visa application while she was living in Nigeria.
Her legal team maintains that the document was submitted by an immigration agency that handled the application.
The allegation surrounding the document remains disputed.
Deportation decision still pending
The immediate issue before the court is whether Adetshina should remain detained while Home Affairs considers potential deportation.
Her legal team has opposed the department’s bid to keep her in custody.
Adetshina previously attracted national attention during the 2024 Miss South Africa competition after questions emerged about her citizenship and family’s immigration history.
Wednesday’s ruling will determine her detention status, not finally resolve all the underlying immigration disputes.
As of Wednesday morning, the Cape Town Regional Court had not yet delivered the judgment reported as due that day.