U.S. hip-hop artist arrested in S. Africa over false passport
Xinhua, January 16, 2016 Adjust font size:
U.S. hip-hop artist Mos Def has been arrested in South Africa for contrenvening immigration laws, authorities said on Friday.
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) confirmed that Mos Def, also known as Dante Terrell Smith or Yasiin Bey, appeared at the Bellville Magistrate Court in Cape Town Friday, one day after being arrested at Cape Town International Airport.
The 42-year-old America entered South Africa using a US passport on a tourist visa, and attempted to depart the country from the Cape Town International Airport by producing an unrecognised "World Passport", which was declined by immigration officials, said DHA spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete.
The South African Police Service has charged Mos Def with usage of fraudulent travel documents.
The outcomes of the court process will be communicated later.
Further investigation into the matter revealed that Mos Def's wife, mother and four children had overstayed in South Africa and were sojourning in the country illegally, Tshwete said.
An order has been issued to Mos Def's wife, mother and four children to depart the country within 14 days, said the spokesperson.
Mos Def embarked on his hip-hop career in 1994, and has been living in South Africa since 2013. Enditem