South African authorities have arrested Anabela Rungo, the mother of Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, over allegations of fraudulently obtaining a South African identity document.
The Department of Home Affairs confirmed that Rungo, a Mozambican national, was apprehended at a hideout in Cape Town on Saturday during a joint operation with the South African Police Service, according to local media outlet Sunday World.
Department spokesperson Siya Qoza revealed that Rungo had been declared persona non grata in September 2024 after officials discovered irregularities in her residency status.
“Investigators from the department, assisted by SAPS, detained Anabela Rungo at a property in Cape Town. The department withdrew Rungo’s South African documentation in September 2024 after finding that it had been fraudulently obtained, rendering her ineligible to continue residing in South Africa,” Qoza stated.
Authorities have yet to disclose the next steps in Rungo’s legal process.
