Vestine divorce hearing set for December as Ouédraogo seeks DNA test

The divorce case involving Rwandan gospel singer Ishimwe Vestine and her husband, Idrissa Jean Luc Ouédraogo, has been scheduled for hearing on December 3, 2026, at the Kicukiro Primary Court, as the dispute between the couple takes a new turn over allegations of abuse, infidelity and the paternity of a child.

Vestine, a member of the popular gospel duo Vestine & Dorcas, filed for divorce against Ouédraogo earlier this month.

The couple married in a high-profile ceremony on July 5, 2025, after completing a civil marriage earlier that year.

During a preliminary hearing held on September 14, Vestine, through her lawyer, told the court that she wanted the marriage dissolved after discovering that Ouédraogo had allegedly concealed that he already had a family in Burkina Faso.

According to reports, Vestine said that after confronting her husband about the matter, he allegedly began abusing and assaulting her.

She also previously told local media outlet that she had obtained information and evidence that Ouédraogo had relationships with two other women and had fathered children with them. Ouédraogo has denied the allegations.

Vestine has also indicated that she does not seek a division of property from the marriage.

Regarding the child the couple are said to have had, she told the court that she would continue raising the child because the child lives with her and is still young, according to the reported proceedings.

Ouédraogo's legal representative rejected Vestine’s allegations and said the defence does not consent to the divorce on the grounds presented by her.

The defence has argued that if the court ultimately grants a divorce, it should instead be based on grounds attributed to Vestine, including alleged abandonment of the marital home.

Those claims are also disputed and remain matters for the court to determine.

The case took another turn on September 17 when Ouédraogo filed a separate request at the Kicukiro Primary Court concerning the child he says he had with Vestine.

He asked the court to order Vestine to allow him to see the child, saying he has not seen the child since birth despite repeated requests.

He expressed concern that a final separation from Vestine could make contact even more difficult, particularly because she lives abroad.

Ouédraogo also requested a DNA test to establish whether he is the child's biological father.

He said the test would resolve the uncertainty over their biological relationship and help clarify any parental responsibilities arising from it.

The request for access to the child and the DNA test was filed while the divorce case awaits its substantive hearing.

The court is expected to consider the competing claims as the proceedings continue.

Neither the allegations of abuse and infidelity nor the paternity question has been judicially established.