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Rwanda Criminal

High Court

UBUSHINJACYAHA v UWASE

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Source document

01

Holding and result

The appellant's sentence had already been reduced from life imprisonment to ten years due to her confession. She was not eligible for suspension of sentence because the sentence exceeded five years, as per Article 85 of the Penal Code. Her appeal lacked merit and was dismissed.

Court disposition

Appeal dismissed; conviction and sentence affirmed.

Orders

  • The judgment of the Intermediate Court (RP 0283/13/TGI/NYGE) is upheld in all respects.
  • Uwase Clementine is exempted from court costs due to her detention.

02

Material facts

Parties

Ubushinjacyaha

Prosecution

Uwase Clementine

Appellant/accused

Amounts and remedies

  • Term of Imprisonment: 10
  • Fine Imposed: RWF 100,000

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Criminal Appeal / High Court Appellate Judgment

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Whether the appellant is entitled to a reduced or suspended sentence for defilement of a minor

Party arguments

Applicant
Uwase Clementine argued that she admitted the offence based on advice that she would be released if she confessed, and requested the court to reduce and suspend her sentence.
Respondent
The prosecution argued that Uwase Clementine voluntarily confessed at first instance without coercion, and that her grounds of appeal were unfounded; the sentence had already been sufficiently reduced.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Article 85, Organic Law n°01/2012/OL of 02/05/2012 establishing the Penal Code

    A sentence may be suspended only if it does not exceed five years and the convict meets other statutory requirements.

  2. 02

    Article 78, Organic Law n°01/2012/OL of 02/05/2012 establishing the Penal Code

    Reduction of sentence for confession is discretionary and must comply with statutory limits.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The appellant's sentence had already been reduced from life imprisonment to ten years due to her confession. She was not eligible for suspension of sentence because the sentence exceeded five years, as per Article 85 of the Penal Code. Her appeal lacked merit and was dismissed.

Obiter and limits

  • The appellant failed to demonstrate any coercion during her confession.
  • The court found the prosecution's account of the facts credible and consistent with the evidence.

Court disposition

Appeal dismissed; conviction and sentence affirmed.

  • The judgment of the Intermediate Court (RP 0283/13/TGI/NYGE) is upheld in all respects.
  • Uwase Clementine is exempted from court costs due to her detention.

Source and reliance status

High Court · 21 March 2014

This page organises the available record for research. Confirm quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the official source before relying on the case.

Judgment reading view

Judgment text

The complete available source text.

Source document

High Court

Criminal· 21 March 2014

RPA 549/13/HC/KIG

UBUSHINJACYAHA v UWASE

- Source: Amategeko - Section: Decisions (Judgements) - Date: 2014-03-21 - Case/document no.: RPA 549/13/HC/KIG - Collection: High Court

Text

Page 1

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. UWASE [Rwanda URUKIKO RUKURU – RPA 549/13/HC/KIG (Murekatete, P.J.) 21 Werurwe 20014] Amategeko mpanabyaha – Gusambanya umwana – Kugabanyirizwa igihano. – Isubikagihano – Ntiyagabanyirizwa

igihano

igihe

yagombaga guhanishwa igifungo cya burundu nyamara agahanishwa imyaka icumi y’igifungo mu gihe yagombaga guhanishwa icya burundu cy’umwihariko, ntiyasaba ko igihano yahawe gisubikwa kuko kirenze imyaka itanu amategeko ateganya, Itegeko ngenga n°01/2012/OL ryo kuwa 02/05/2012 rishyiraho igitabo cy’amategeko ahana, ingingo ya 78 na 85. Incakake y’ikibazo: Uwase Clementine yarezwe n’Ubushinjacyaha mu Rukiko rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge. Kubera gusambanya umwana w’amezi icyenda. Rwamuhamije icyaha ahanisha imyaka 10 y’igifungo no gutanga ihazabu ihwanye n’ibihumbi ijana. Yajuririye mu Rukiko Rukuru avuga ko yemeye icyaha kandi ko agifatwa bamubwiye ko niyemera icyaha

bazamufungura.

Yasabye

Urukiko kumugaragariza no kumusubikira igihano. Uhagarariye Ubushinjacyaha avuga ko Uwase Clementine yiyemereye icyaha ku rwego rwa mbere nta gahato ashyizweho. Akavuga ko kandi impamvu atanga mu bujurire zidasobanutse bityo zikaba zitahabwa agaciro. Yarangije asaba ko igihano yahawe ku rwego rwa mbere cyagumaho kuko cyagabanyijwe bihagij

Page 2

Incamake y’icyemezo: Mu miburanire ye ahakana icyaha nyamara mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rwaregewe ku rwego rwa mbere yemeye icyaha anasobanura uburyo yagikoze aho ngo yumvise mu mubiri ahindutse nuko akagarama akiryamishaho umwana w’umuhungu mu buryo bwo kumukoresha imibonano mpuzabitsina. Ntiyagabanyirizwa ibihano rero igihe yiyemereye icyaha nta gahato ashyizweho agahanishwa imyaka icumi y’igifungo mu gihe yagombaga gufungwa burundu bw’umwihariko. Ntiyasubikirwa igihanom kandi mu gihe atujuje ibisabwa n’ingingo ya 85 y’itegeko ngenga n°01/2012/OL ryo kuwa 02/05/2012 rishyiraho igitabo cy’amategeko ahana kuko igihano yahawe kirengeje imyaka itanu y’igifungo. Ubujurire nta shingiro bufite. Urubanza rujuririrwa ntiruhindutse mu ngingo zose. Uwajuriye asonewe amagara y’urubanza. Amategeko yashingiweho Itegeko ngenga n°01/2012/OL ryo kuwa 02/05/2012 rishyiraho igitabo cy’amategeko ahana, ingingo ya 78 na 85. Nta manza zifashishijwe Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y'URUBANZA

Page 3

[1] Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge rwakijije uru rubanza ku rwego rwa mbere Uwase Clementine aregwa n’ubushinjacyaha icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana w’umuhungu w’amezi icyenda y’amavuko. Rwemeza ko icyo cyaha kimuhama, rumuhanisha igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka icumi no gutanga ihazabu y’amafaranga ibihumbi ijana. [2] Muri uru rukiko, Uwase Clémentine yajuriye asaba imbabazi akavuga ko icyaha yacyemeye kuberako akimara gufungwa bamubwiye ko niyemera bamufungura. Agasaba ko urukiko rwamugabanyiriza igihano kuko yahawe kinini kikanasubikwa. [3] Uhagarariye ubushinjacyaha avuga ko impamvu z’ubujurire zitangwa na Uwase Clementine nta shuingiro zifite kuko ubwo yaburanaga ku rwego rwambere yasbanutye uko yakoe icyaha, ko ibyo avuga ko yacyemejwe no kugirango afungurwe bitakwitabwaho. Asaba ko ibihano yahawe byagumishwaho kandi ntahabwe isubikagihano. [4] Ikibazo gisuzumwa ni ukumenya niba imbabazi, kugabanyirizwa no gusubikirwa ibihano bisabwa na Uwase Clementine byahabwa ishingiro. II. ISESENGURA RY’IBIBAZO BY’URUBANZA Ku byerekeranye n’imbabazi no kugabanyirizwa igihano bisabwa n’uwajuriye

Page 4

[5] Uwase Clementine avuga ko asaba imbabazi akagabanyirizwa igihano, akavuga ko icyaha aregwa atagikoze ko yacyemejwe no kuba ubwo yafatwaga yaragiriwe inama yo kwemera icyaha kugirango afungurwe. Mu gusobanura icyo asabira imbabazi avuga ko yarambuye igitenge ku buriri aryamishaho umwana nyimna aje asanga ari kurira ahita ahamagara abaturage. [6] Uhagarariye ubushinjacyaha avuga ko Uwase clementine aburana mu rwego rwa mbere yemeye icyaha nta gahatio ashyizweho agisabira imbabazi aho yasobanuye ko yisambanyishije uwo mwana yareraga. Ko impamvu atanga mu bujurire bwe zidasobanutse ari nayo mpamvu zitahabwa ishingiro. Urukiko rukuru rukemeza ko hagumaho igihano yakatiwe ku rwego erwa mbere kuko rwakigabanyije mu buryo buhagije. [7] Urukiko rurasanga nk’uko bigaragarira mu rubanza rujuririrwa ku gace ka 7, Uwajuriye yabwiye urukiko ko uko bisobanuwe n’ubushinjacyaha bwamushinje ariko byagenze yongeraho ko yumvise umubiri we uhindutse yisambanisha ako kana k’agahungu mu gihe kingana n’isaha. Ubushinjacyaha nk’uko bigaragara mu gika cya 4 n’icya 5 cy’’urubanza rujuririrwa bwasobanuye ukuntu Uwase yarambuye igitenge ku buriri akagarama hanyuma akambura akana k’agahungu k’amezi icyenda yareraga akakiryamishaho mu rwego rwo kugakoresha imibonano mpuzabitsina. N’ubwo rero muri uru rukiko Uwase yashatse guhunga ibyo yemeye ku rwego rwa mbere avuga ko atemera icyaha ngo ko yacyemejwe no kuba yarabisabwe abwirwa ko bamufungura nyitiyabashije kugaragaza ko

Page 5

ubwo yaburanaga hari igitugu yashyizweho cyatumye yemera icyaha. Ukuba rero asaba kugabanyirizwa igihano akaba ntabyo yahabwa kuko igika cya 11 cy;urubanza rujuririrwa urukiko rwabanje rwagabanyije ibihano rushingiye ku kwemera icyaha kwe igihano kikaba cyaravanwe kuri burundu y’umwihariko gishyirwa ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko mu igabanyagihano nk’uko ingingo ya 78 y’itegeko ngenga rishyiraho igitabo cy’amatege ko ahana ibiteganya. Bityo ubujurire bwe nta shingiro bufite. Ku byerekeranye n’imbabazi no gusubikirwa igihano bisabwa n’uwajuriye [8] Uwase Clementine yasabye isubikagihano, ubushinjacyaha bukavuga ko ntaryo yahabwa. [9] Urukiko rurasanga ingingo ya 85 y’itegeko ngenga n°01/2012/OL ryo kuwa 02/05/2012 rishyiraho igitabo cy’amategeko ahana iteganya ko isubikagihano ari

icyemezo

cy’umucamanza

gihagarika irangizarubanza ku gihano cy’igifungo kitarengeje imyaka itanu (5) iyo uwagikatiwe atigeze ahanishwa mbere mu rubanza rwabaye ndakuka igihano cy’igifungo cyangwa igihano nsimburagifungo cy’imirimo ifitiye igihugu akamaro kirenze amezi atandatu (6). Hakurikijwe ibimaze kuvugwa isubikagihano Uwase clementine asaba ntaryo yahabwa kuko atujuje ibisabwa n’iyo ngingo mu gihe igihano yakatiwe kirengeje igifungo cy’imyaka itanu. Iyo mpamvu y’ijurira nayo nta shingiro ifite.

Page 6

III. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [10] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Uwase Clémentine nta shingiro bufite. [11] Rwemeje ko urubanza RP 0283/13/TGI/NYGE rudahindutse mu ngingo zose. [12] Rutegetse ko Uwase Clementine asonewe amagarama yose y’urubanza kuko yajuriye afunze.

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

Cases, legislation, regulations, and constitutional provisions identified in the available record.

Organic Law n°01/2012/OL of 02/05/2012 establishing the Penal Code, Articles 78 and 85

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