‘Behind every headline is a real person,’ says lawyer defending Chidimma Adetshina

Stefanie de Saude-Darbandi, the lawyer representing former Miss South Africa finalist Chidimma Adetshina in her deportation fight, has defended her firm’s decision to take the case and pushed back against public criticism as the matter plays out in court.

Lawyer stresses human side behind headlines

Speaking on social media during the trial, Saude-Darbandi said:

“Not everyone likes Chidimma, but not everyone has to. Behind every headline is a real person, a real family and real legal issues that deserve to be heard fairly.”

She framed her firm’s role as ensuring fair and consistent application of the law.

“Our role has never been to win a popularity contest. It is to ensure that the law is applied fairly, consistently and constitutionally to everyone,”

she wrote, adding:

“That’s what the rule of law requires.”

Public scrutiny and questions about motive

The immigration case is before the Cape Town Regional Court and has drawn public attention. A TikTok user questioned the firm’s past commentary and involvement, noting that De Saude Darbandi had published an article in November 2024 outlining a possible route for Adetshina to reclaim revoked citizenship and had since represented Adetshina’s mother.

The same user said:

“This no longer appears to be detached commentary from an immigration expert,”

and asked whether publicity or precedent-setting was driving the firm’s involvement.

Reaction online was mixed. One commentator said:

“If she’s willing to represent Chidimma Adetshina against that same government, perhaps she believes Chidimma has legal rights worth defending.”

Another argued that Adetshina should not bear responsibility for any alleged documentation problems, suggesting any wrongdoing lay with her parents.

Case background presented in court

According to reporting by News24 cited in court, the Department of Home Affairs told the Cape Town Regional Court that Adetshina’s 2024 trip to Nigeria for the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant showed she had another country to return to. Adetshina disputes that she has ties to Nigeria.

The department also told the court that Adetshina and her child had obtained Nigerian passports to advance her modelling career, and that deportation notices were sent to her via WhatsApp before an alleged fraudulent birth registration was discovered.

Adetshina was declared a prohibited person after it was alleged her mother had used the stolen identity of a South African citizen to register her. Despite this, the department said Adetshina returned to South Africa, allegedly entering via the Lebombo border post on the Mozambique border.

The matter has been postponed to 19 August.

What the defence says next

Saude-Darbandi has defended the decision to represent Adetshina and framed legal representation as separate from public opinion, reiterating that fair legal process is the priority for her firm.