Miss Rwanda competitions has been suspended by the government until further notice as investigations into alleged cases of sexual abuse in the pageantry continue.
Rwanda Investigations Bureau (RIB) is investigating Dieudone Ishimwe, popularly known as Prince Kid the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rwanda Inspiration Backup, organizers of the Miss Rwanda competition. Dieudone was arrested over alleged sexual exploitation of contestants who participated in the Miss Rwanda pageantry over the years.
“Following the ongoing RIB investigations into the sexual abuse allegations of Miss Rwanda contestants leveled against the CEO of Rwanda Inspiration backup, committed at different times of the pageantry, the Ministry of Youth and culture informs the public that it has suspended Miss Rwanda competitions pending ongoing investigations,” a statement from Rwanda’s Ministry of Youth and Culture read.
Meanwhile, the RIB has also arrested Ms. Elsa Iradukunda, the Miss Rwanda 2017 winner, for allegedly using forged documents in an attempt to obstruct the ongoing investigations.
Sources disclosed that the former beauty queen, who is alleged to be in a relationship with the embattled pageant boss, has been manipulating victims who testified against Ishimwe into signing written documents that deny having been sexually abused by him at any time.
The sex scandal that has rocked Miss Rwanda came to light after the current Miss Rwanda, Nshuti Divine Muheto, recently spoke out and shared a recording of Ishimwe soliciting sexual favors.
Rwandan President Speaks Against Sexual Exploitation
In a speech at the recent Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) congress recently, President Paul Kagame noted that the cases went beyond sexual abuse of contestants by organizers to trafficking of girls for sexual exploitation. He also expressed disgust at the increasing trend of human trafficking in the country, where the majority of the victims are turned into sex slaves in some countries in the Gulf, Middle East, and Asia.
“I always see police reports that show people who have been trafficked and are trapped in other countries like China, Oman, and other gulf countries; some reach out for help. These are Rwandans who end up being used as sex slaves,” President Paul Kagame said.
President Kagame then urged young women to report errant men and any sexual abuse to authorities.
Well, this phenomenon of beauty pageants and deep dark secrets emerging has become an issue that needs to be dealt with once and for all because even in Ghana, there have been similar allegations made.
It can be recalled that some past queens of Miss Ghana; Stephanie Karikari (Miss Ghana 2010), Antoinette Delali Kemavo (Miss Ghana 2015), and Giuseppina Nana Akua Baafi (Miss Ghana 2013), spoke about exploitation, verbal and physical abuse, and being used as sex baits by Inna Patty, who is the current owner of Miss Ghana’s franchise holding company, Exclusive Events Ghana, to raise sponsorship.
The Miss Ghana brand became so sullied to the extent that the then President of the Creative Arts Council, Mark Okraku Mantey, disclosed they will investigate the controversy surrounding the pageantry.
However, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Exclusive Events Ghana Limited, Inna Patty, has constantly denied the allegations. Even more recently, Inna Patty claimed that those wild allegations made by some disgruntled beauty queens has badly affected the Miss Ghana brand.
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