Kemi Seba Faces Extradition to Benin After Arrest in South Africa
- Kemi Seba faces possible extradition to Benin after his arrest in South Africa over alleged support for a failed coup attempt
- He appeared in a Pretoria court with his son and another accused, and will remain in custody until his bail hearing on April 29
- Benin authorities say he is wanted for encouraging rebellion after the December 2025 coup attempt against President Patrice Talon
Source: Getty Images
SOUTH AFRICA — Controversial activist Kemi Seba faces a possible extradition to Benin over his alleged role in supporting a failed coup attempt, following his arrest in South Africa.
Kemi, whose real name is Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, appeared briefly in a Pretoria court on Monday together with his 18-year-old son and another South African accused. He was arrested at a shopping mall in Pretoria on 13 April 2026.
He appeared briefly in a Pretoria court on Monday, 20 April 2026, alongside his 18-year-old son and another South African accused of attempting to help him flee to Zimbabwe. Kemi will remain in custody until his bail hearing on April 29.
Benin seeks his extradition
According to Jacaranda News, authorities in Benin want him back, saying he encouraged rebellion after a December coup attempt in which soldiers briefly claimed they had overthrown President Patrice Talon. The uprising was quickly stopped with help from regional forces.
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A Benin prosecutor said preparations for an extradition request are underway, while South African police confirmed that extradition proceedings have started, though they did not say which country made the request.
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Sebi allegedly applied for Asylum
Seba’s legal situation is still unclear. One lawyer said he had applied for asylum in South Africa, but people close to Seba and his team later denied that any asylum request had been filed or that the lawyer still represents him.
Seba has been living in South Africa for about five months and is said to have overstayed his visa by around two months. He also holds a diplomatic passport issued by Niger’s military government, after losing his French citizenship in 2024.
He was arrested during a police sting operation, where officers say he was caught with over 315,000 rand in cash. Police allege the money was linked to a plan to move him and his son across borders.
Who is Kemi Seba?
Known for his strong criticism of France’s influence in Africa, Seba has built a large online following and has often aligned himself with anti-Western political views. He has previously been convicted in France for inciting racial hatred and has been expelled or restricted in several African countries. Seba is wanted for supporting Benin's December 7 foiled coup attempt. Seba is also pro-Russian, believing that Benin's Talon is overly close to former colonial power France.
Source: Getty Images
Chinese fugitive arrested in South Africa
In similar news, Briefly News reported that South African police arrested a 63-year-old Chinese national wanted for large-scale fraud in his home country. The suspect, identified as Chen Fujia, was arrested on 30 January 2026 and is expected to be extradited to China, where he faces charges for allegedly defrauding the Chinese government of more than R120 million. The Chinese embassy flagged Fujia last year when he attempted to apply for a visa. After the arrest, he was to be extradited and was expected to be taken into custody immediately upon arrival in China, where he will stand trial.
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Source: Briefly News
