The High Court in Nyamirambo has adjourned to July 14 the verdict in the case of Dieudonne Ishimwe, widely known as Prince Kid.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, June 30, the President Judge emphasized that the trial’s resumption is necessary to allow for the discussion of newly presented evidence by the prosecution.
“The prosecution submitted new evidence (Audio) on June 23, and both parties will resume the trial to thoroughly analyze it before the verdict is delivered in this case,” he said.
Ishimwe, the CEO of Rwanda Inspiration Back Up and the former organizer of the Miss Rwanda Beauty Pageant, has been entangled in legal proceedings since 2022 when he was arrested and charged with soliciting sexual favors, harassment, and rape.
In December 2022, the intermediate court of Nyarugenge acquitted him due to insufficient evidence supporting the charges. However, the prosecution lodged an appeal against the decision.
The appeal filed at the High Court was grounded on several reasons, including the claim that the intermediate court judges disregarded crucial evidence, such as witness testimonies and victims’ statements.
Among the evidence highlighted by the prosecution was a leaked audio recording of a telephone conversation between Ishimwe and one of the Miss Rwanda pageant contestants. Allegedly, the recording captured Ishimwe soliciting sexual favors.
During the most recent trial on Friday, April 28, Ishimwe argued before the judges that the audio in question was unrelated to sexual matters. He claimed that the prosecutors had selectively presented the audio, omitting certain parts that would provide necessary context.
The prosecutors defended their decision to exclude specific portions, arguing that they aimed to present only the information directly relevant to the case.
