Ruptly
"Beninese activist Kemi Seba, known for his anti-colonial stance, appeared before a Pretoria court on Wednesday as South African authorities navigate a complex case combining domestic immigration charges with international extradition requests. “There's that atmosphere being created about how dangerous the man is, yet he's not being charged anywhere with any level of dangerous or violent crime,” Seba’s lawyer, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, said. ”I think that's being done by the state intentionally. I mean, the affidavits are quite thick for an immigration charge,” he added. It came in response to the state prosecutor's portrayal of Seba as a significant flight risk with no local ties. "The accused does not have any assets in South Africa and lives out of his suitcase,” the prosecutor told the court. “He also holds a Niger diplomatic passport." She further argued that Seba’s history of cross-border legal issues suggests he would not comply with bail conditions. "I am of the view that the accused's conduct [...] demonstrates that if released again, he is highly likely to continue to evade arrest and, once again, will try to evade justice in his case," the prosecutor added. Seba’s defence team claimed that authorities are deliberately creating a ‘climate of danger’ around a case they argue is rooted in political persecution and questioned the heavy security framing of an immigration and extradition matter. Mnguni confirmed that Seba has formally applied for political asylum in South Africa, a move that could complicate any extradition to Benin, where he had planned to run in the 2026 presidential election. “We are confident, even given the allegations, that we have a strong defence to the allegations and a strong case for bail in that our client will be applying for asylum in South Africa,” Mnguni added. The court postponed the matter to May 11 due to the prosecutor’s involvement in a separate High Court case. Seba remains in custody. Seba, born Stelio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, was arrested earlier in April on an international warrant. Authorities in Benin have accused the activist of 'incitement to rebellion' and 'undermining state security' following his public support for a failed coup attempt in Benin. Seba gained international notoriety after burning a CFA franc banknote in 2017. He was stripped of his French citizenship in 2024."
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