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Rwanda Civil

Court of Appeal

Re BIBERABAGABO

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Source document

01

Holding and result

The application for recusal was dismissed because the applicant failed to provide any objective evidence of a special relationship, improper conduct, or prior involvement between the judge and any party. The allegations were based solely on the applicant's subjective interpretation of the judge's conduct during the hearing, which does not meet the legal threshold for recusal under Article 103 of Law No. 22/2018.

Court disposition

recusal application dismissed

Orders

  • The recusal application filed by Biberabagabo Jean Bosco is dismissed as unfounded.
  • Judge Kamere Emmanuel remains on the panel for case RCAA00002/2020/CA.

02

Material facts

Parties

Biberabagabo Jean Bosco

Applicant

Kamere Emmanuel

Judge

Ndatinya Vedaste

Respondent

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Recusal Application / Decision on Recusal

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Whether the applicant established sufficient grounds for recusal of the judge based on alleged bias or special relationship.

Party arguments

Applicant
Biberabagabo Jean Bosco argued that Judge Kamere Emmanuel assisted the opposing party in fabricating evidence, contradicted himself regarding the admissibility of forensic evidence, pressured and harassed the applicant, and provided guidance to the opposing party, thus demonstrating bias and loss of confidence in impartiality.
Respondent
The respondent maintained that the allegations were based solely on the applicant's perception of how the hearing was conducted, without any concrete evidence of a special relationship, improper conduct, or prior involvement as required by law.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Article 103 of Law No. 22/2018 of 29/04/2018 on civil procedure

    Recusal of a judge requires objective evidence of a special relationship, prior involvement, or improper conduct, not merely the party's subjective perception of bias based on the conduct of proceedings.

  2. 02

    Supreme Court decision RS/RECUS/RCOM 00002/2019/SC

    Grounds for recusal must be based on facts existing prior to the case, not on how the hearing was conducted.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The application for recusal was dismissed because the applicant failed to provide any objective evidence of a special relationship, improper conduct, or prior involvement between the judge and any party. The allegations were based solely on the applicant's subjective interpretation of the judge's conduct during the hearing, which does not meet the legal threshold for recusal under Article 103 of Law No. 22/2018.

Obiter and limits

  • A party's perception of friendship or animosity with a judge, based on the conduct of proceedings, does not constitute valid grounds for recusal; such grounds must be supported by concrete evidence existing prior to the case.

Court disposition

recusal application dismissed

  • The recusal application filed by Biberabagabo Jean Bosco is dismissed as unfounded.
  • Judge Kamere Emmanuel remains on the panel for case RCAA00002/2020/CA.

Source and reliance status

Court of Appeal · 16 June 2021

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Judgment reading view

Judgment text

The complete available source text.

Source document

Court of Appeal

Civil· 16 June 2021

RS/RECUS/RC 00002/2021/CA

Re BIBERABAGABO

- Source: Amategeko - Section: Decisions (Judgements) - Date: 2021-06-16 - Case/document no.: RS/RECUS/RC 00002/2021/CA - Collection: Court of Appeal

Text

Page 1

Re BIBERABAGABO [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’UBUJURIRE – RS/RECUS/RC 00002/2021/CA (Rukundakuvuga, P.J.) 16 Kamena 2021] Amategeko agenga imiburanishirize y’imanza mbonezamubano – Kwihana umucamanza – Ikibazo cy’ubucuti cyangwa urwango hagati y’umuburanyi n’umucamanza ntabwo ari impamvu umuburanyi yibwira cyangwa ashobora kwitekerereza ashingiye ku buryo abona iburanisha ryagenze. Incamake y’ikibazo: Uru rubanza ruturuka ku iburanisha ry’urubanza RCAA00002/2020/CA aho Biberabagabo yihannye umucamanza Kamere waburanishaga urwo rubanza, ngo kuko yafashije uwo baburanaga gushaka guhimba ikimenyetso kimutsindisha; iburanisha rihita risubikwa kugirango atange ikirego cyo kwihana. Biberabagabo yatanze ikirego cy’ubwihane asobanura mu buryo amategeko abiteganya avuga ko umucamanza yafashije umwe mu baburanyi be guhimba ikimenyetso kimutsindisha, ngo umucamanza arivuguruza, ngo umucamanza aramwibasira avuga kandi ko atanga umurongo ku ruhande ashaka kubogamiraho.Urukiko rwemeje ko ikirego cy’ubwihane cyatanzwe na Biberabagabo nta shingiro gifite. Incamake y’icyemezo: Ikibazo cy’ubucuti cyangwa urwango hagati y’umuburanyi n’umucamanza ntabwo ari impamvu umuburanyi yibwira cyangwa ashobora kwitekerereza ashingiye ku buryo abona iburanisha ryagenze. ahubwo zigomba kuba ari impamvu zishingiye ku bimenyetso bifatika bisanzwe biriho na mbere y’urubanza bigaragaza ubusabane bukomeye hagati y’umucamanza n’umuburanyi. Amategeko yashingiweho: Itegeko N° 22/2018 ryo ku wa 29/04/2018 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’imbonezamubano, ingingo ya 103. Imanza zifashishijwe: Urubanza RS/RECUS/RCOM 00002/2019/SC Muzima Rutikanga rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ikirenga kuwa 15/11/2019 Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA

Page 2

[1] Mu iburanisha ryo kuwa 31/05/2021 ry’urubanza RCAA00002/2020/CA ruburanwamo Ndatinya Vedaste, Biberabagabo Jean Bosco yihannye umucamanza Kamere Emmanuel waburanishaga urwo rubanza, ngo kuko yafashije umwe mu baburanyi gushaka guhimba ikimenyetso kimutsindisha; iburanisha rihita risubikwa ngo arangize imihango y’ubwihane nk’uko iteganywa n’amategeko. [2] Kuwa 31/05/2021 saa 18h57, Biberabagabo Jean Bosco yohereje ikirego cy’ubwihane asobanuramo impamvu zikurikira: Umucamanza yafashije umwe mu baburanyi gushaka guhimba ikimenyetso gitsindisha Biberabagabo Jean Bosco, aho yafashe icyemezo ko hapimwa ikimenyetso muri Forensic Laboratory kuko ngo aricyo cyari kamarampaka, birangira icyo kimeyetso kidapimwe kuko Forensic laboratory yasanze atari umwimerere (original); akemeza ko ibyo Forensic Laboratory yabonye n’umucamanza yari abizi ahubwo akaba yarabirenzeho ashaka gufasha urundi ruhande. Nyuma y’aho bigaragariye ko ikimeneyetso kidashobora gupimwa ngo umucamanza yirivuguruje avuga ko azashingira ku bindi bimenyetso; uko kwivuguruza kukaba kugaragaza kubogama bituma atakaza icyizere ko umucamanza yamuha ubutabera. Umucamanza ngo aramwibasira akamucyocyora akanamwotsa igitutu ngo kuko na nyuma y’ubwihane yamusabye gusobanura ubwihane bwe ndetse ngo akanasaba n’umwunganizi we gusomera abari mu iburanisha amategeko agenga ubwihane nk’aho mu rubanza ari mu ishuli. Asoza avuga ko

iburanisha, Umucamanza Kamere Emmanuel abanza gutanga igisubizo nyuma akagenda abaza ababuranyi ngo nibagire icyo bakivugaho, ndetse akagenda anagaruka ku magambo atari mu iburanisha, ibyo bikaba bigaragaza ko aba yabanje gutanga umurongo ku ruhande ashaka kubogamiraho. [3] Biberabagabo Jean Bosco avuga ko impamvu z’ubwihane azishingira ku ngingo ya 103, 4°-5o y’itegeko N° 22/2018 ryo ku wa 29/04/2018 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’imbonezamubano, iz’ubucuruzi, iz’umurimo n’iz’ubutegetsi iteganya ko “umucamanza ashobora kwihanwa iyo umwe mu baburanyi agaragaje ko umucamanza afitanye ubucuti bwihariye n’undi mu baburanyi cyangwa kuva aho urubanza rutangiriye, yarigeze kwakirwa mu buryo bwihariye n’umwe mu baburanyi ku mafaranga ye, cyangwa yaremeye impano ahawe n’umuburanyi”, cyangwa “iyo we ubwe yigeze kugira icyo avuga cyangwa agatanga inama kuri urwo rubanza mbere y’uko ruburanishwa”. [4] Urubanza rwaburanishijwe mu nama y’abacamanza kuwa 16/06/2021, rusuzuma ingingo zatanzwe na Biberabagabo Jean Bosco nk’uko zasobanuwe haruguru.

Page 3

II. ISESENGURA RY’IMPAMVU Z’UBWIHANE [5] Urukiko rusanga ingingo Biberabagabo Jean Bosco ashingiraho atanga ubwihane igaragaza ko ubwihane atanga bushingiye ku bucuti bwihariye umucamanza yaba afitanye n’umwe mu baburanyi cyangwa se umucamanza yarigeze kwakirwa mu buryo bwihariye n’umwe mu baburanyi cyangwa yaremeye impano y’umwe mu baburanyi, cyangwa “iyo we ubwe yigeze kugira icyo avuga cyangwa agatanga inama kuri urwo rubanza mbere y’uko ruburanishwa”; nyamara mu bisobanuro bye akibanda ku buryo umucamanza yayoboye iburanisha. [6] Urukiko rusanga ikibazo cy’ubucuti cyangwa urwango hagati y’umuburanyi n’umucamanza bivugwa mu ngingo ya 103 yavuzwe haruguru, atari impamvu umuburanyi yibwira cyangwa ashobora kwitekerereza ashingiye ku buryo abona iburanisha ryagenze, ahubwo zigomba kuba ari impamvu zishingiye ku bimenyetso bifatika bisanzwe biriho na mbere y’urubanza bigaragaza ubusabane bukomeye hagati y’umucamanza n’umuburanyi. Ibyo ni nako byasobanuwe n’Urukiko rw’Ikirenga mu rubanza RS/RECUS/RCOM 00002/2019/SC cyane cyane mu gika cya 231. Muri urwo rubanza Urukiko rw’Ikirenga rwasanze impamvu z’ubwihane bw’umucamanza nk’uko ziteganywa n’itegeko atari impamvu zituruka mu buryo urubanza rwaburanishijwe, ahubwo ari impamvu zishingiye ku byo umuburanyi yamenye mu mibanire cyangwa mu isano umucamanza asanzwe afitanye n’umuburanyi cyangwa azi ku rubanza, bishobora

kugaragazwa bidashingiye ku miburanishirize y’urubanza. Urukiko rw’Ikirenga rwasanze kandi impamvu nk’izo zigomba kuba zifitiwe ibimenyetso bigaragara bidashingiye ku kugenekereza : “ngo ubwo umucamanza agize atya, nta yindi mpamvu yabimutera uretse iyi.” [7] Muri uru rubanza nta kimenyetso na kimwe Biberabagabo Jean Bosco yagaragaje gishimangira umubano w’ubucuti hagati y’umucamanza Kamere Emmanuel n’umwe mu baburanyi, cyangwa hari ukwakirwa kwihariye kwabayeho kwakorewe umucamanza n’umwe mu baburanyi cyangwa impano yaba yarahawe, uretse ibyo yitekerereje ahereye ku buryo urubanza rwayobowe nk’uko byasobanuwe mu gika cya 2 cy’uru rubanza. [8] Urukiko rushingiye kuri ibyo bisobanuro, rurasanga ubwihane Biberabagabo Jean Bosco nta shingiro bufite. III. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [9] Rwemeje ko ikirego cy’ubwihane cyatanzwe na Biberabagabo Jean Bosco mu rubanza RCAA00002/2020/CA nta shingiro gifite ; [10] Rwemeje ko Umucamanza Kamere Emmanuel ugize inteko iburanisha urubanza RCAA00002/2020/CA arugumamo; 1 Reba urubanza RS/RECUS/RCOM 00002/2019/SC rwa MUZIMA RUTIKANGA rwaciwe kuwa 15/11/2019

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RS/RECUS/RCOM 00002/2019/SC (Muzima Rutikanga)

Case cited

Law No. 22/2018 of 29/04/2018 on civil procedure, Article 103

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