A prominent Pan-African activist wanted in Benin for inciting rebellion has applied for political asylum in South Africa, where he appeared in court on Monday facing immigration charges.

Kemi Seba (45) was arrested last week for breaching immigration laws and appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court alongside his 18-year-old son and a South African national, François van der Merwe. The trio remain in police custody.

His South African lawyer, Sesedi Phooko, confirmed an application for political asylum had been filed.

“Currently, we are only facing the charges of illegal immigration,” Phooko told AFP outside the court. “We are also challenging that because we have already brought an application for political asylum in this country.”

Prosecutors requested a postponement to investigate the authenticity of Seba’s passport, his residency status and alleged money laundering. The case was postponed to 29 April for a bail application.

According to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation’s Crimes Against the State (CATS) unit, intelligence revealed that Van der Merwe had been paid approximately R250 000 to help the father and son illegally cross the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe. From there, the pair planned to continue their journey to Europe.

Who is Kemi Seba?

Born in France to parents from Benin, Seba has built a following of 1.5 million on social media as an anti-Western influencer. He has been accused of being a mouthpiece for Russian propaganda.

The activist holds a diplomatic passport issued by Niger’s ruling junta, which seized power in a 2023 coup. He has been sentenced in France for incitement to racial hatred and was stripped of his French nationality in 2024.

Wanted for coup support

Benin issued an international arrest warrant for Seba on 12 December after he supported a foiled coup attempt in which mutinous soldiers claimed on television to have overthrown President Patrice Talon.

After the failed uprising on 7 December, Seba posted a video declaring it was a “day of liberation”. The coup was swiftly put down by the military with support from Nigeria and France.

Phooko said no extradition request had yet been received. “They have not yet brought the international warrant that has been issued because we have the belief that it is not yet ready,” he said.

The activist and his co-accused will remain in custody until their next court appearance.

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