Beauty Queen Divine Muheto Arrested for Drink-Driving in Rwanda
Rwanda’s Miss Rwanda 2022, Divine Muheto, arrested for drink-driving and fleeing the scene.
Rwandan beauty queen Divine Muheto has been arrested for drink-driving and driving without a license. The 21-year-old, who won the Miss Rwanda pageant in 2022, was involved in an incident where she damaged “infrastructure” and subsequently fled the scene, according to police. Authorities did not confirm whether anyone was injured during the incident.
This is not the first time Muheto has been accused of driving under the influence, as Rwandan police revealed that it is an ongoing issue with her. The arrest was made public on Tuesday after days of speculation regarding her involvement in a collision.
Muheto has yet to publicly comment on the arrest. Her case is set to be heard by a court in Kigali, the capital, on Thursday, as confirmed by a prosecution spokesperson.
After winning Miss Rwanda in 2022, Muheto became a well-known figure in the country. However, the beauty pageant has not been held since due to sexual misconduct allegations against the event’s organizers, leading to a suspension by the Rwandan government.
In Rwanda, drink-driving carries a penalty of a fine of 150,000 Rwandan francs ($110) and five days in police custody. Thousands have been arrested in recent years as the police crackdown on road violations has intensified.
Rwanda’s government attributes the decrease in fatal road accidents to the increased enforcement of traffic laws, with notable figures, including a member of parliament, resigning after being caught drink-driving in 2022.