Chidimma Adetshina, recently crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, has responded to accusations of identity theft made by the South African Government.
In an interview with Arise News, the 23-year-old firmly denied any involvement in stealing someone’s identity, expressing her intention to wait for the legal case to be resolved before making any further comments.
Adetshina, born in Soweto, South Africa, to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, faced backlash after being announced as a contestant in the Miss South Africa pageant. The South African Department of Home Affairs alleged that her mother was involved in fraud and identity theft.
However, Adetshina maintained her innocence, stating she is withholding further comments until all the details of the case are revealed. She clarified that her decision to exit the Miss South Africa competition was to focus on her aspiration to compete in Miss Universe Nigeria, not to evade the accusations.
“I did not steal anyone’s identity. I’m just waiting for the conclusion of the case and the whole matter. Then moving forward I will know exactly what to say because I feel right now if I say something and another thing comes out tomorrow. I’m just avoiding all those two things contradicting each other,” Adetshina explained.
She further noted that her silence on the issue is due to its legal nature and her lack of full knowledge regarding the case. “I really avoided the questions because it is a legal matter and I don’t have all the facts around the matter, but what I can say is that I was not running away from any of that. I was just running because I knew I had a dream that I wanted to fulfil.”
“I’m not fully aware of the matter. But what I can speak on is that I know I did not steal anyone’s identity,” she reiterated.
Adetshina remains focused on her journey as Miss Universe Nigeria while awaiting the conclusion of the ongoing legal proceedings in South Africa.
