The South African Department of Home Affairs has revealed that the mother of Miss South Africa finalist Chidinma Adesina has been involved in fraud and identity theft.
Chidinma's participation in the Miss South Africa pageant sparked huge controversy and attracted international attention.
On Wednesday, Interior Minister Leon Schreiber shared details of the ostensible evidence.
“The event organisers requested authorities to verify the nationality of contestant Chidimma Adesina. The request was accompanied by written consent from Adesina and her mother.”
“This will include archival research, hospital visits and site visits to verify information.”
“From the information uncovered thus far, the Ministry of Interior is able to demonstrate that there is superficial reason to believe that the individual listed in the Ministry of Interior's records as the mother of Ms. Chidimma Adesina may have committed fraud and identity theft,” Schreiber said.
Schreiber said Chidinma was innocent because she was just a toddler at the time her mother committed the fraud.
“Innocent South African mothers whose identities may have been stolen as a result of the fraud allegedly perpetrated by Adetosha's mother have suffered as a result of not being able to register their children.”
“The Interior Ministry is expanding its investigation to identify and pursue officials involved in the alleged fraudulent scheme and is obtaining legal advice regarding the impact of the alleged fraud on Ms. Adetosina's nationality. Once the investigation is complete, the Interior Ministry intends to bring criminal charges against all parties involved,” Schreiber said.
“This case, which has its roots in fraud allegedly committed 23 years ago, highlights the urgent need to digitise and modernise the Department of Home Affairs' application, adjudication and verification processes to protect the department from fraudulent interference, similar to the reforms made at the South African Revenue Service in the late 2000s.”
“This case also highlights why the State Department blocks certain duplicate IDs, and the unblocking of these documents via court order must be treated with caution,” Schreiber said.