A Rwandan court has handed a three-month suspended sentence to Divine Muheto, the reigning Miss Rwanda, for drink-driving and driving without a license. Alongside the sentence, Muheto has been fined 190,000 Rwandan francs ($140; £109).
The charges stem from an incident last month when Muheto crashed her vehicle into an electricity pylon and a palm tree while returning home from a bar in Kigali, as reported by The New Times. Initially, reports indicated she had fled the scene, though the court later cleared her of this charge.
Neither Muheto nor the prosecution attended the court hearing. Prosecutors had initially sought a two-year prison sentence, but after 18 days in police custody, the judge ordered her release. It remains unclear if the prosecution plans to appeal.
While Muheto has not made any public statements regarding the incident, her lawyers say she has expressed regret and sought forgiveness. This is not her first drink-driving offense, according to local police.
Muheto rose to fame after winning the Miss Rwanda title in 2022. The national beauty pageant has since been suspended due to sexual misconduct allegations against the organizers.
Drink-driving offenses in Rwanda result in a fine of 150,000 Rwandan francs ($110; £85) and five days in custody. Law enforcement has intensified efforts to curb drink-driving, resulting in thousands of arrests in recent years.
