Summary
South African police arrested Kemi Seba, a French-born activist wanted in Benin for supporting a failed coup last year. Seba was caught trying to leave South Africa with his son and a paid helper, and South African authorities are working on extraditing him.
Key Facts
- Kemi Seba, real name Stellio Gilles Robert Capo Chichi, is wanted in Benin for "inciting rebellion" connected to a failed coup in 2023.
- He was arrested in Pretoria, South Africa, along with his 18-year-old son and a person hired to help them illegally cross to Zimbabwe.
- Seba is accused of crimes against the state in both France and Benin.
- The helper was paid about 250,000 South African rand (roughly $15,000) to assist their escape.
- Seba leads the NGO Pan-Africanist Emergency and has 1.5 million followers online.
- He opposes French influence in Africa and has been linked to promoting Russian propaganda.
- Seba lost his French citizenship in 2024 and publicly burned his passport.
- The Benin government issued an international arrest warrant after the failed December coup attempt, which was stopped with help from Nigeria and France.
