Today, Ishimwe Dieudonne, better known by his stage as Prince Kid, was given a five-year prison term for rape and soliciting sexual favors by the High Court of Kigali.
It is one of the cases that deviated from the norm and generated controversy. Kid was detained in April 2022 when it came to light that over the 10 years he served as CEO of Rwanda Inspiration Back Up, the organization that oversees the competition, Kid had been involved in sexual assault against Miss Rwanda contestants.
In the widely publicized case that became a social media trend and was brought to trial behind closed doors, he was accused of three offenses, including rape, harassment, and asking for or providing sexual favors.
Ishimwe was freed on December 2nd, 2022, after a protracted legal battle with the prosecution, and all charges against him were dropped by the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court. However, the prosecution challenged the ruling.
On March 31, 2023, the appeals court’s trial began. Two prosecution witnesses, code-named VKF and VMF, testified before the court that Kid had sexually assaulted them and asked for favors from them, respectively.
Following testimony from a second witness with the code name VBF that Kid had harassed her sexually, the prosecution asked for 16 years in prison for Kid.
According to the court’s decision from today, Prince Kid took advantage of VMF’s vulnerability to rape her. She also asked VKF three times for sexual favors.
VBF, who claimed that the defendant used to phone her at night seeking for sexual favors, did not support Kid’s claim that she had engaged in sexual harassment.
It is a case that was marked by numerous highs and lows, emotional moments, and disputes. Early in March, Prince Kid and Miss Rwanda Iradukunda Elsa were legally wed, and the public hailed the union as evidence of pure love.
Iradukunda is the one who has supported Prince Kid throughout the course of the lawsuit up until the point that she was accused of fraud relating to this regard. She won the case, though.
Iradukunda introduced Kid to the family on August 31, 2023, and the couple exchanged vows at Intare Conference Arena two days later in a vibrant ceremony that received a lot of support.
The idea that the case would end on such a depressing tone seemed far-fetched to many.
Except in the event of an appeal, which would likely ask for a review of the trial, Prince Kid would have the punishment carried out after one month.
