Model Turahirwa cried in court and asked to seek medical treatment

On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, before the Kicukiro Local Court, Moses Turahirwa, founder of the 'Moshions' fashion house, admitted to consuming marijuana but denied the amount of it that the prosecution claims he was caught with.

The model has been in prison for about two weeks, suspected of using and selling drugs.

Turahirwa is one of the most prominent fashion designers in Rwanda, and his designs are worn by many in Rwanda, including some high-ranking officials.

In court on Tuesday, Turahirwa said that the charges against him are related to what he posted on social media last April.

The prosecutor said that Turahirwa is charged with crimes including "selling, storing, and consuming the drug cannabis."

The prosecution said he was arrested with 13 packages of marijuana brought from Kenya.

When given the opportunity to defend himself, Turahirwa was initially overcome with emotion and unable to speak, instead crying, but after a while he began to defend himself in a very low voice.

Here's how he defended himself.

Moses Turahirwa, who was represented by a foreign lawyer, pleaded not guilty to trafficking cannabis, saying he brought five grams (5g) from Kenya and was caught with two grams (2g), and that he gave them up voluntarily.

He says that selling cannabis would imply that it was a large quantity and that it was intended for other purposes than just smoking.

The model admitted that she used marijuana to help her cope with severe depression, and that she had begun seeking medical help to quit completely.

Turahirwa revealed to the jury that he had purchased a plane ticket to the United States to meet with a specialist who helps people quit drugs.

He requested to be released because he suffers from severe depression, and is being monitored while outside so that he can receive treatment.

The prosecution said that this was not the first time he had committed such a crime, that he had been sentenced to three years in prison and was currently appealing, and now he had committed the crime again while still appealing his first sentence.

The prosecution says he was arrested as part of an investigation into suspected drug use.

Turahirwa said that no investigation was conducted, that he was arrested for things he wrote on social media, but that he apologized to the head of state, and that he still continues to do so.

The prosecution said that what he said had nothing to do with the charges against him.

Regarding the charges against Turahirwa, Article 263 of the Rwandan Code states that a person convicted of drug use is punished with imprisonment for not less than one year but not more than two years or community service.

The article also states that anyone who sells, stores, or possesses illegal drugs, if convicted by a court, can be sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of up to 20 million Rwandan francs.

The 2019 Minister of Health Order classifies marijuana, along with cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, as a serious drug.

However, marijuana is one of the most common drugs that is seized and punished for minors in Rwanda.

In 2023, Turahirwa admitted in court to using marijuana but denied the other charges against him. He was sentenced to three years in prison, but was later released on bail and appealed. The case is still ongoing.

What had he announced on social media?

In early April 2025, a message circulated on social media in photographs purportedly written by Moses Turahirwa. Today, he appeared in court, claiming that the message was his, and apologized for it.

The message, which was posted on April 12 in the form of a 'status', appears to have been posted on an Instagram account called 'kwandaseason_1' in the name of Moïse Turahirwa. It is no longer visible on the site because it was deleted within hours.

The message is titled "I grew up hating Kagame and all Ninkotanyi, bro!"

The message continues: "The Inkotanyi have imprisoned Father Pasteur for no reason."

Turahirwa says that when he first went to Kamembe town 'in Rusizi', at the age of six, he was with his mother to visit his father who was imprisoned in Cyangugu town.

He said, "The Inkotanyi whipped my father while he was looking for a way to greet me because of the few minutes they were giving them to arrest the criminals we brought to them. He returned to the fortress [prison] without greeting him."

In his message, he added that he cried last night when he learned that the President would wear the shirt he had designed. He was 28 years old at the time. He said, "I will never forgive Kagame and all the Inkotanyi."

After this widely circulated message, Moses Turahirwa's whereabouts were unknown until April 22, when the Criminal Investigation Department announced that Turahirwa was being held in custody and was tested for drug use.

Today, after hearing both sides, the court said it will issue a decision on Turahirwa's detention and provisional release on Friday, May 9, 2025, while he is still in provisional detention.