Renowned Rwandan fashion designer Moses Turahirwa, who counted President Paul Kagame and US singer John Legend among their clients, appeared in court on Tuesday charged with drug use and possession.Turahirwa, 36, who uses they/she pronouns, said the real reason for their arrest was online criticism of Kagame.Last month Turahirwa made a series of posts on Instagram — now deleted — criticising Rwanda’s leadership for having “unjustly jailed my father”, adding: “I’ve never forgiven Kagame”.Rights groups accuse Kagame of brutally repressing the opposition in the Great Lakes nation, which he has effectively ruled since 1994. “I don’t think I was arrested for investigations on drug consumption. I believe it is related to the post I made on Instagram, for which I already asked for forgiveness from the president of the country,” Turahirwa told the court in Kigali on Tuesday.Turahirwa admitted to using cannabis for medical purposes.The prosecution said Turahirwa ought to face a drug trafficking charge based on the high quantity of cannabis found by police, but Turahirwa has disputed the amount.Turahirwa was arrested late on April 22. “I was woken up by many people at my gate and when I delayed to open, they broke the door,” Turahirwa told the court. “I saw a policeman and I was scared.”Turahirwa’s lawyer requested an immediate release on bail on the grounds of mental health issues.The government has not released any statement following Turahirwa’s posts or arrest.In 2023 the designer was also investigated and arrested on drug-related charges and spent months in jail, before being released on provisional bail.The ex-model and founder of Moshions fashion brand, Turahirwa resigned as CEO of the company in 2023 following an outcry over nude photographs posted online.
