Benin Prepares Extradition Bid for Activist Kemi Seba After South Africa Arrest

Benin’s prosecutor says an extradition request is being prepared for activist Kemi Seba, arrested in South Africa and wanted for allegedly inciting rebellion after backing a failed coup attempt in December. He remains in custody pending a bail hearing on April 29 as authorities review his status and related allegations. Police say he was arrested during a sting operation involving a planned movement to Zimbabwe, while his team disputes parts of the case.

Benin’s special prosecutor has announced that he is actively preparing an extradition request for the well-known pan-African activist Kemi Seba, following his arrest last week by South African police in Pretoria. The move signals that legal proceedings between the two countries are likely to intensify in the coming days as authorities seek to determine his legal fate.
Kemi Seba, who was born in France to parents originally from Benin, has long been a controversial figure across parts of West Africa due to his outspoken political activism. He is currently wanted in Benin on serious allegations of inciting rebellion, which authorities say is linked to his public support for a failed coup attempt that occurred in December. Following his arrest, he is expected to remain in custody until at least April 29, when a bail hearing is scheduled to take place.
The 45-year-old activist was briefly presented before a court in Pretoria on Monday. He appeared alongside his 18-year-old son and a South African national who is also connected to the case. The appearance was short but significant, as it marked the beginning of formal judicial scrutiny in South Africa regarding his detention and possible extradition.
According to a source close to Seba, he had been residing in South Africa for approximately five months prior to his arrest. The same source also claimed that he had overstayed his visa by around two months, suggesting that his immigration status may have contributed to his vulnerability to arrest.
In Benin, Elonmario Metonou, who serves as the special prosecutor at the court handling economic crime and terrorism-related cases, confirmed in an official statement that preparations for an extradition request were underway. He emphasized that, at this stage, political authorities in Benin were not directly managing the case but were only involved in ensuring that formal requests are properly transmitted through diplomatic channels between the two countries.
Meanwhile, South African police had earlier indicated that an extradition process was already in motion, although they did not initially specify which country had made the request. This has added some ambiguity to the case, as multiple jurisdictions or legal interests could potentially be involved in related proceedings.
Questions have also arisen around whether Seba has sought political asylum in South Africa. One of his legal representatives during the Monday court appearance, Sesedi Phooko, stated that an asylum application had been submitted. However, this claim was quickly disputed. A message later posted on Seba’s official X account denied Phooko’s representation of him, creating confusion about who is officially authorized to speak on his behalf.
Further clarification came from Juan Branco, an adviser to Seba, who told AFP that Phooko’s legal mandate had already ended before he made public comments. Branco also stated clearly that, contrary to earlier reports, no asylum application has currently been filed in South Africa on Seba’s behalf.
Seba’s citizenship and travel status have also become key points of interest in the case. Although he was originally born with dual French-Beninese nationality, he reportedly lost his French citizenship in 2024. In addition, he is said to be carrying a diplomatic passport issued by Niger’s military government, which came to power after a coup in 2023. This unusual combination of nationality and documentation has raised further legal questions regarding his status and protections under international law.
Prosecutors in South Africa have requested that the court postpone the current proceedings. They argued that additional time is needed to investigate several critical issues, including the authenticity of Seba’s passport, his legal residency status in South Africa, and allegations that he may also be involved in money laundering activities. These factors are seen as important in determining whether extradition or other legal actions should proceed.
Benin’s government had already issued an international arrest warrant for Seba on December 12. This followed his public support for a failed coup attempt in which mutinous soldiers appeared on television claiming they had overthrown President Patrice Talon. After the attempted takeover on December 7, Seba released a video in which he described the event as “the day of liberation” for Benin, a statement that later formed part of the basis for the charges against him.
The attempted uprising itself was quickly suppressed by military forces, with assistance reportedly provided by Nigeria and France. The swift response ended the coup attempt and restored control to the existing government.
South African authorities have also provided details about the circumstances of Seba’s arrest. Police said he was detained on April 13 during a carefully planned sting operation. During the operation, more than 315,000 rand (approximately $19,200) was allegedly found in connection with the case. Authorities claim the operation also involved a third suspect who was expected to assist in transporting Seba and his son across borders.
That third suspect was identified as Francois van der Merwe, who is the leader of an Afrikaner nationalist group known as Bittereinders. Van der Merwe also appeared in court on Monday, according to reporters from AFP who were present during the proceedings.
South African police further alleged that Van der Merwe had been paid around 250,000 rand (roughly 13,000 euros) to facilitate the crossing of Seba and his son through the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe. This alleged plan was reportedly part of the wider sting operation that led to their arrest.
However, a source close to Seba has strongly disputed this version of events. The source insisted that Seba and Van der Merwe did not know each other and had no prior communication or contact before the arrest, suggesting that the alleged connection between them may be incorrect or overstated.
The case continues to develop across multiple legal fronts, involving issues of extradition, citizenship, immigration status, and alleged political involvement in a failed coup attempt.