Gambiaj.com – (PRETORIA, South Africa) – Beninese self-proclaimed pan-African activist Kemi Seba has applied for political asylum in South Africa following his arrest on immigration-related charges, as authorities in Benin intensify efforts to secure his extradition over alleged involvement in a failed coup attempt.
Seba, who was detained last week, appeared in court on Monday, where proceedings were adjourned to April 29 for a bail hearing. According to his lawyer, Sesedi Phooko, the activist is currently only facing charges of illegal immigration, which the defense is contesting on the grounds that an asylum application has already been filed.
“He has applied for political refugee status, which would regularize his stay in South Africa,” Phooko told reporters, adding that the defense disputes claims that Seba had overstayed his visa unlawfully.
Seba, who relocated to South Africa approximately five months ago, is accused of remaining in the country beyond the validity of his visa by about two months without formalizing his residency status.
The court session also featured the presence of Seba’s 18-year-old son, a French national, and François van der Merwe, an Afrikaner nationalist linked to a far-right group.
South African authorities allege that Van der Merwe was paid 250,000 rand (around €13,000) to assist Seba in an attempt to cross illegally into Zimbabwe via the Limpopo River.
Prosecutors requested a postponement of the case to verify the authenticity of Seba’s Nigerien diplomatic passport, his residential address, and allegations of money laundering.
Defense lawyer Juan Branco argued that official documentation from the Nigerien embassy had already been provided, but the court granted the delay.
Benin Will Seek Kemi Seba’s Extradition
Meanwhile, Beninese authorities have confirmed they are pursuing Seba’s extradition. Speaking in Cotonou on Monday, a special prosecutor from the Court for the Repression of Economic Offenses and Terrorism said two arrest warrants had been issued against the activist, one related to alleged money laundering and another concerning charges of incitement to violence, hate speech, and the glorification of criminal acts.
Seba is also accused of supporting a failed coup attempt in Benin on December 7, 2025, an allegation that prompted the issuance of an international arrest warrant. The activist had publicly described the day of the attempted putsch as “a day of liberation” for Benin.
The Beninese prosecutor confirmed that judicial authorities in South Africa have been formally contacted to facilitate Seba’s provisional arrest, pending a full extradition request.
Although a representative from the Beninese embassy attended Monday’s hearing, the issue of extradition was not formally addressed in court.
Seba, born Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, has long been a vocal critic of Benin’s President Patrice Talon and is known for his strong anti-French and pan-Africanist rhetoric.
He was stripped of his French nationality in 2024 but holds a diplomatic passport issued by Niger’s military-led government, which has adopted an increasingly anti-Western stance.
His arrest comes amid renewed scrutiny over alleged international connections. French authorities previously questioned Seba over suspected links to the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, though he was later released while investigations continued.
Separately, Van der Merwe is reported to have traveled to Moscow in 2024 to meet with an organization associated with sanctioned Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeev.
Despite speculation over ideological alignment, sources close to Seba maintain that he had no prior relationship with Van der Merwe before their arrest.
The case unfolds against a backdrop of growing concerns about democratic space in Benin, where critics allege increasing restrictions on dissent. The outcome of Seba’s asylum request and the pending legal proceedings in South Africa are likely to shape the next phase of a case that straddles politics, international law, and regional security dynamics.
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