Police on Friday said a transgender Rwandan fashion designer whose mention President Paul Kagame among her clients has been arrested on charges of forgery after claiming he changed his passport to reflect his new gender.
Moses Turahirwa, 35, was detained Thursday after sharing a passport photo of himself on his Instagram and saying his gender section had been changed from male to female. “Finally, I officially have a woman on my ID. It is interesting. Thank you Kagame.
“Turahirwa Moses was summoned by the RIB (Rwanda Bureau of Investigation) to explain the origin of the fake passport after the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration confirmed that it did not issue the said passport,” said RIB spokesman Thierry. Murangira told reporters.
“Drug use was added to the charges against which Turahirwa was charged after Rwanda forensic laboratory tests confirmed that he had illegally consumed cannabis,” he added. He continued: “The investigation will continue during pre-trial detention.
Former model and founder of fashion house Kigali Moshions, Moses Turahirwa stepped down as CEO of the company in November after outcry over the publication of nude photos on social media. .
In January, the designer – who has designed clothes for Paul Kagame and his family – was heavily criticized in Rwanda after a video emerged showing her having sex with two men.
Homosexuality is not illegal in Rwanda. Unlike some neighboring countries (Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi).
Rwanda was one of the few African countries to sign the United Nations Joint Declaration condemning violence against LGBTQ people in 2011, but abuse and discrimination continue.
