Zim Now Writer
The Cape Town Magistrate's Court granted bail of R10 000 to Anabela Rungo, the mother of former Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adetshina, on Wednesday. However, the court ordered that Rungo be placed under house arrest.
She faces two charges related to the contravention of the Immigration Act and one charge of violating the Identification Act.
Rungo, a Mozambican national, was arrested for remaining in South Africa after her South African ID was revoked in September of the previous year.
Magistrate Sadiqah Guendouz ruled that Rungo could only leave her residence to consult with her legal representatives or attend court proceedings.
Additionally, she was prohibited from applying for any residency permits or engaging with the Mozambican and Nigerian embassies, either personally or by sending someone on her behalf.
Upon hearing the ruling, Rungo broke down in tears while her family members were present in court.
Before the ruling, the State had applied for Magistrate Guendouz to recuse herself from the case, alleging bias and prior knowledge of the case before Rungo's arrest.
However, Rungo's defense argued that there were no grounds for her recusal. After considering the matter, Guendouz gave the State time to explore the possibility of another magistrate presiding over the case. The State later reported that the senior magistrate's office had initially sought a ruling on the recusal before assigning a new magistrate.
Guendouz ultimately decided there was no reason for her to step down, pointing out that the case had been widely discussed in September and that the grounds for recusal were insufficient.
The State had argued that Rungo should be denied bail, claiming she posed a flight risk and could potentially reoffend.
The case has been postponed to May 8, 2025, for further investigation.
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