Former Miss SA contestant and Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 winner Chidimma Adetshina’s mother Anabela Rungo, has been charged with identity theft and violations of the Immigration Act.
Rungo, who was arrested over the weekend, appeared in the Cape Town Magistrates Court for a bail application yesterday. The case has drawn significant attention due to her daughter’s high-profile status and the serious nature of the charges.
Court Proceedings and Charges
During her court appearance, an immigration officer testified that Rungo had remained in South Africa despite being declared a prohibited person. A warrant for her arrest was issued after she failed to provide legitimate documentation, claiming that her documents had been misplaced.
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The court also learned that Rungo was in possession of an identity document belonging to another individual, which she had used and presented as her own. Rungo allegedly submitted an application to the Department of Home Affairs under the name Sara Moyo, a legitimate South African citizen.
Home Affairs has since deleted the South African identity number associated with Sara Moyo from their records. This fraudulent activity has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the country’s identification systems.
Travel History and Arrest
Despite her claims of lost documents, Rungo’s Mozambican passport revealed multiple entries into South Africa. However, there was no record of her leaving the country after being declared a prohibited person until her recent arrest.
At the time of her arrest, Rungo was accompanied by a two-year-old child, identified as her grandchild. Officials also confiscated a laminated copy of Chidimma Adetshina’s birth certificate from her Summer Greens residence.
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