Should Moses Turahirwa's post on Instagram be seen as a joke gone wrong? A provocation? The famous Rwandan designer was taken into custody on Thursday April 27 in Kigali by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB). The African high fashion star had posted a photo on social media the day before claiming that the "gender" section of her passport had been changed from "M" to "F", from male to female. “Finally officially a woman on my identity card, welcomed the artist, a member of the LGBT community. It's funny. Thank you Kagame [the president of the country]. »
But the document would be a fake. "The genuine passport was deliberately manipulated on date of birth and gender," the Immigration and Emigration Services said. "Turahirwa Moses was summoned by the RIB to explain the origin of his passport after the General Directorate of Immigration and Emigration confirmed that they had not issued the document," added Thierry Murangira, spokesperson for the RIB. According to a 2018 law, the designer faces a seven-year prison sentence.
But Moses Turahirwa's legal troubles may not end there. "He is also suspected of using cannabis, according to results from the Rwanda Forensic Laboratory," the RIB said. The investigation will continue during his pre-trial detention. His trial date has not been announced.
Former model and founder in 2015 of the fashion house Moshions, Moses Turahirwa, who draws inspiration from traditional geometric patterns called "imigongo" to design his clothes, is a well-known personality in Rwanda. Since 2021 and the "Imandwa" collection (means "reference to the ancient gods" in Kinyarwanda) which revealed it, the designer has also made a name for himself on the international scene. From the Ivorian footballer Didier Drogba to the Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, passing by the Trinidadian actor Winston Duke or the Spanish actress Rossy de Palma, muse of Pedro Almodovar... his store in Kiyovu, a chic district, has become essential for all the stars passing through Kigali. Among his most loyal customers is also the presidential family: Paul Kagame, his wife, Jeannette, and their daughter, Ange.
" Red line "
“We do not know why he published this photo, wonders the communication department of Moshions. It may have been a joke, but it turned into a tragedy… Even if the period is difficult, Moshions continues to work and move forward. »
Aged 35, Moses Turahirwa has never hidden that he was a cannabis user, a substance tolerated in Rwanda for medical purposes, but illegal for recreational purposes. On social networks – some posts have been deleted since the start of the case – we could notably see him smoking in public spaces in Kigali or in front of the Eiffel Tower. Adding the hashtag
In January, the creator sparked a scandal following the publication of a video showing him having sex with two men. He had apologized and explained that his Snapchat account had been hacked. If Rwanda is one of the few African countries to sign a joint United Nations declaration condemning violence against LGBT people and unlike the countries of the region (Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi), homosexuality does not is not prohibited, the homosexual community remains stigmatized there.
“Through his talent and his connections, Moses has often benefited from a form of tolerance from the authorities, analyzes a journalist who wishes to remain anonymous. But by associating a fake document with the president's name on social media, he likely crossed the red line. »
