Entertainment
Miss South Africa contender Chidinma Adetshina faces citizenship fraud allegations
A South African pageant contestant, Chidinma Vanessa Adetshina, born to a Nigerian father, has come under intense scrutiny amid preliminary investigations by the country’s Department of Home Affairs.
The investigations reveal that her citizenship may have involved fraud and identity theft.
According to a media release now circulating on social media, the Department of Home Affairs launched an inquiry into Adetshina’s citizenship after a wave of controversy erupted online.
Social media users had called for her disqualification from the Miss South Africa pageant, alleging she was not a legitimate South African citizen.
On August 5, 2024, the pageant organizers formally requested the Department to verify Adetshina’s citizenship, accompanied by written consent from both Adetshina and her mother.
Preliminary findings from the investigation suggest potential fraud and identity theft linked to the individual recorded as Adetshina’s mother in Home Affairs records.
However, the Department noted that Adetshina, being a minor at the time of the alleged actions in 2001, was not involved in the fraudulent activities.
The investigation further uncovered that a South African woman, whose identity may have been stolen in the process, has suffered significant consequences, including the inability to register her own child.
The Department has since broadened its investigation to identify and pursue any officials implicated in the scheme and is currently seeking legal advice on the ramifications for Adetshina’s citizenship status. Criminal charges are anticipated upon the conclusion of the investigation.
