Chidimma Adetshina’s Lawyer Stefanie De Saude-Darbandi Rejects Conflict-of-Interest Claims

• Allegations of a conflict of interest have put Chidimma Adetshina's lawyer, Stefanie de Saude-Darbandi, under intense scrutiny.
• This comes after revelations that she is serving a dual role as the beauty queen's legal representative while simultaneously sitting on the Immigration Advisory Board.
• The Legal Practice Council and various legal experts have since stepped in to analyse whether this overlapping responsibility creates a genuine conflict of interest

Stefanie de Saude-Darbandi, the attorney representing former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina in a high-profile deportation battle, has pushed back against growing accusations that her simultaneous appointment to the Department of Home Affairs' Immigration Advisory Board (IAB) creates a conflict of interest.

The controversy centres on de Saude-Darbandi holding two roles at once: litigating against the Department of Home Affairs on behalf of Adetshina, while also serving as an independent member of the very statutory board that advises the department on immigration policy reform.

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Herman Mashaba calls for scrutiny

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has been among the loudest voices raising concern. IOL reports that he publicly questioned de Saude-Darbandi's suitability for the board and penned an editorial asserting that her appointment "deserves public scrutiny" regarding who is advising Home Affairs and how potential conflicts are managed.

De Saude-Darbandi, however, maintains there is a clear distinction between the two roles. She argued that representing clients against organs of state is standard legal practice and a cornerstone of the rule of law.

"Equally, my appointment to the Board does not confer any authority or influence over individual immigration applications, litigation or operational decision-making within the department. Board members do not decide cases, instruct officials or influence the outcome of matters involving particular applicants. My appointment therefore provides no advantage to my clients, nor does it alter the legal or evidential standards that apply to any matter before the department or the courts."

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Cape Town Court Confrontation: Chidimma Faces Public Backlash Over Identity Claims

She was appointed to the IAB on 1 April 2025 by Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber, as part of efforts to reform South Africa's struggling immigration system.

Former Miss South Africa finalist and Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina's legal battle with the Department of Home Affairs has been postponed to 19 August for judgment in the Cape Town Regional Court.

Chidimma Adetshina's apparent wedding picture surfaces

In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to a photo believed to have been taken on Chidimma Adetshina's wedding day.

The viral photo featured a woman in a traditional Nigerian gown, with speculation suggesting that she had married a Nigerian man.

Source: Briefly News