Rwandan prosecutors are requesting 16 years in prison for Dieudonne Kagame Ishimwe, the Rwandan beauty pageant organiser accused of sexual abuse, local media report.
His trial started on Wednesday, but a Judge immediately ruled it would be held behind closed doors despite the defendants’ wish for it to be open to the public.
Mr Ishimwe is accused of soliciting sexual favours and harassing some contestants in the Miss Rwanda contest. He denied both charges.
Ishimwe was arrested in May by the Rwandan Investigations Bureau (RIB) after one of the contestants made accusations against him. The authorities have since suspended the pageant.
Dieudonne Ishimwe popularly known as Prince Kid is the chief executive of Rwanda Inspirational Backup the organiser of Miss Rwanda.
Some of the girls claimed that Ishimwe sexually exploited them at different times while promising each of them a beautiful crown.
The scandal came to light after a victim, the reigning Miss Rwanda, Nshuti Devine Muheto, spoke out. The RIB also arrested Elsa Iradukunda, this Miss Rwanda 2017 winner for allegedly using false documents in an attempt to obstruct the investigations.
Iradukunda has been moving from one witness to another making them sign documents that bind them from testifying against Ishimwe in court. The court is expected to decide on the case later this month
