Rwandan beauty queen Divine Muheto, the reigning Miss Rwanda, has received a three-month suspended sentence for drink-driving and driving without a license.
The court also imposed a fine of 190,000 Rwandan francs ($140; £109) following an incident last month when Muheto crashed her car into an electricity pylon and a palm tree on her way home from a bar in Kigali.
Reports from The New Times reveal that Muheto initially fled the scene. However, the court acquitted her of this charge. Neither Muheto nor the prosecution, which had pushed for a two-year prison sentence, attended the court hearing. After spending 18 days in police custody, the judge ordered her immediate release.
The prosecution has yet to announce whether it will appeal the judgment. Muheto, whose father is Assistant Commissioner of Police Francis Muheto, has not publicly commented on the incident, though her lawyers report that she has expressed remorse and asked for forgiveness.
This is not the first time Muheto has been found driving under the influence, according to Rwandan police. The 21-year-old rose to fame after winning the Miss Rwanda title in 2022. However, the annual beauty competition has been on hiatus since the government suspended it amid allegations of sexual misconduct against its organizers.
Drink-driving in Rwanda is punishable by a fine of 150,000 Rwandan francs ($110; £85) and up to five days in police custody. In recent years, authorities have made a concerted effort to enforce these laws, leading to thousands of arrests across the country.
