UBUSHINJACYAHA vs. DUSABE
- Citation
- RPA 0188/11/CS
- Status
- Criminal
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Decision
- 12 June 2015
- Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Supreme Court Judgment on Appeal
- Case number
- RPA 0188/11/CS
- Language
- Kinyarwanda
More details
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Decision
- 12 June 2015
- Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Supreme Court Judgment on Appeal
- Case number
- RPA 0188/11/CS
- Language
- Kinyarwanda
On this page
Professional case brief
Research organized from the available case record
01
Holding and result
Confession and request for forgiveness alone do not mandate a reduction in sentence where the crime was committed with extreme cruelty; the discretionary power of the judge to consider mitigating circumstances does not require a reduction in such cases.
Court disposition
Appeal dismissed; original sentence upheld.
Orders
- The appeal of Dusabe Françoise is dismissed as unfounded.
- The judgment of the High Court remains unchanged.
- Court costs are to be borne by the State.
02
Material facts
Parties
Ubushinjacyaha
Prosecution Counsel: Ntawangundi BéatriceDusabe Françoise
Defendant Counsel: Me Rutagengwa MukigaAmounts and remedies
- Number of Victims: 3
03
Procedural history
Posture
Criminal Appeal / Supreme Court Judgment on Appeal
04
Questions and positions
Legal issues
Whether the defendant should have her sentence reduced due to confession and request for forgiveness despite the gravity of the crime
Party arguments
- Applicant
- Dusabe argued that she confessed to the crime, requested forgiveness, did not flee, and always told the truth, and that her traumatic background and circumstances should mitigate her sentence to time served.
- Respondent
- The prosecution argued that the High Court did not violate any law in sentencing Dusabe to life imprisonment, as the judge is not obliged to reduce the sentence for a confession, especially given the extreme cruelty of the crime.
05
Court’s reasoning
Legal principles
- 01
Article 76 of Organic Law Nº 01/2012/OL and Article 312 of Decree-Law Nº 21/77
A judge is not obliged to reduce the sentence for a defendant who confesses and requests forgiveness if the crime was committed with extreme cruelty.
- 02
Article 71 of Organic Law Nº 01/2012/OL
Sentencing must consider the manner of commission, motives, and personal circumstances, but mitigation is discretionary.
06
Ratio, limits and disposition
Ratio decidendi
Confession and request for forgiveness alone do not mandate a reduction in sentence where the crime was committed with extreme cruelty; the discretionary power of the judge to consider mitigating circumstances does not require a reduction in such cases.
Obiter and limits
- The defendant's traumatic background and immediate confession were not sufficient to outweigh the gravity and cruelty of the crime.
Court disposition
Appeal dismissed; original sentence upheld.
- The appeal of Dusabe Françoise is dismissed as unfounded.
- The judgment of the High Court remains unchanged.
- Court costs are to be borne by the State.
Source and reliance status
Supreme Court · 12 June 2015
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.
Supreme Court
Criminal· 12 June 2015
UBUSHINJACYAHA vs. DUSABE
- Source: Amategeko - Section: Decisions (Judgements) - Date: 2015-06-12 - Case/document no.: RPA 0188/11/CS - Collection: Supreme Court
Text
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UBUSHINJACYAHA vs. DUSABE [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’IKIRENGA – RPA 0188/11/CS (Nyirinkwaya, P.J., Mugenzi na Gatete, J.) 12 Kamena 2015] Amategeko agenga imanza nshinjabyaha – Icyaha cy’ubuhotozi – Kwemera icyaha ukagisabira imbabazi – Umucamanza ntategetswe kugabanya ibihano byanze bikunze ku muntu wemera icyaha akanasaba imbabazi – Kwemera icyaha cy’ubuhotozi ukanagisabira imbabazi byo nyine ntibihagije kugirango uwagikoze ahabwe amahirwe yo kugabanyirizwa igihano byanze bikunze mu gihe bigaragara ko uwagikoze yagikoranye ubugome bukomeye. Incamake y’ikibazo: Uwitwa Dusabe yarezwe n’Ubushinjacyaha mu Rukiko Rukuru Urugereko rwa Nyanza ashinjwa icyaha cy’ubuhotozi yakoreye abana batatu bari ab’umugabo we yari yarabyaranye n’undi mugore, aribo Niyomugabo Philémon w’imyaka umunani, Niyomugenga w’imyaka itanu na Niyongana w’imyaka itatu, akaba yarabishe abatemaguye n’umuhoro. Nyuma y’isesengura, uru Rukiko rwemeza ko icyaha cy’ubuhotozi Dusabe aregwa kimuhama, maze rumuhanisha igifungo cya burundu. Dusabe ntiyishimiye icyemezo cy’urukiko maze ajurira mu Rukiko rw’Ikirenga avuga ko yahawe igihano kiremereye kandi yaraburanye yemera icyaha anagisabira imbabazi, avuga kandi ko icyamuteye kwica abo bana nuko umugabo we yababyaranye n’undi mugore hanyuma akamushiragaho igitutu avuga ko agomba kubarera byanze bikunze, bimutera ihungabana kuberako we yapfushije abana bose bari
barabyaranye. Dusabe avuga kandi ko amaze gukora icyaha atahunze, ahubwo yahise ajya kubibwira umugabo we, kuva icyo gihe mu nzego zose z’Ubutabera yanyuzemo akaba yarakomeje kuvuga ukuri, akaba asanga izo mpamvu zose zigabanya ububi bw’icyaha zitaritaweho n’umucamanza wa mbere, bityo ko asaba kugabanyirizwa igihano maze agahanishwa igifungo kingana n’imyaka yari amaze muri gereza. Ubushinjacyaha nabwo bwiregura buvuga ko Urukiko Rukuru nta tegeko rwishe rugenera Dusabe igihano cya burundu nubwo yaburanye yemera icyaha kuko umucamanza adategetswe kugabanya ibihano byanze bikunze ku muntu wemera icyaha, bityo ko igihano yahawe gikwiye kugumaho kubera ubugome bukabije yakoranye iki cyaha. Incamake y’icyemezo: Kwemera icyaha cy’ubuhotozi ukanagisabira imbabazi byo nyine ntibihagije kugirango uwagikoze ahabwe amahirwe yo kugabanyirizwa igihano byanze bikunze mu gihe bigaragara ko uwagikoze yagikoranye ubugome bukomeye. Ubujurire nta shingiro; Amagarama y’urubanza aherereye ku isanduku ya Leta. Amategeko yashingiweho:
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Itegeko-Ngenga Nº 01/2012/OL ryo kuwa 02/05/2012 rishyiraho igitabo gishya cy’amategeko ahana, ingingo ya 71 niya 76; Itegeko-Teka Nº 21/77 ryo kuwa 18/08/1977 nk’uko yavuguruwe rishyiraho Igitabo cy’amategeko ahana cyakoreshwaga igihe icyaha cyakorwaga, ingingo ya 312. Nta manza zifashijwe. Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] Uru rubanza rwatangiriye mu Rukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza, Dusabe Françoise aregwa icyaha cy’ubuhotozi yakoreye abana batatu, Niyomugabo Philémon w’imyaka umunani, Niyomugenga w’imyaka itanu na Niyongana w’imyaka itatu abatemaguye, abo bana bakaba bari abo umugabo we yari yarabyaranye n’undi mugore yarabamuzaniye ngo abarere. [2] Urwo rukiko rwaciye urubanza RP 0127/10/HC/NYA kuwa 23/05/2011, rwemeza ko icyaha cy’ubuhotozi aregwa kimuhama, rumuhanisha igifungo cya burundu. [3] Dusabe yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ikirenga avuga ko yahawe igihano kiremereye kandi yaraburanye yemera icyaha. [4] Urubanza rwaburanishijwe mu ruhame kuwa 11/05/2015, Dusabe Francoise yunganiwe na Me Rutagengwa Mukiga, naho Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na Ntawangundi Béatrice. II. IKIBAZO KIGIZE URUBANZA N’ISESENGURA RYACYO Kumenya niba Dusabe Francoise yagabanyirizwa ibihano [5] Dusabe avuga ko Urukiko Rukuru rwamuhanishije igifungo kiremereye kandi yaraburanye yemera icyaha anagisabira imbabazi. Ku bijyanye n’icyamuteye kwica bariya bana, asobanura ko atashakaga kubarera ariko ko
umugabo we yamubwiraga ko azabarera byanze bikunze, agahora amucyurira ko abana be bapfuye, arabatema abanje ku mukuru, agenda akurikizaho undi kugeza yishe umuto wa gatatu. [6] Me Rutagengwa Mukiga umwunganira avuga ko Dusabe yabaye mu buzima bubi kuko yapfushije abana be 8 ubwo yari muri Congo aho yari yarahunganye n’umugabo we, ariko uyu akaza kumutayo, akagaruka mu Rwanda, agashaka undi mugore babyaranye bariya bana batatu yishe, we atahuka muri 2009 nta mwana n’umwe asigaranye, umugabo we atandukana na wa mugore wundi yari yarashatse, arongera abana na Dusabe, kuba rero yarishe bariya bana bikaba byaraturutse ku ihungabana no ku buryo umugabo we yamuhatiraga kurera abana batari abe mu gihe abe bose bapfuye. [7] Avuga kandi ko Dusabe amaze gukora icyaha atahunze, ahubwo yahise ajya kubibwira umugabo we, kuva icyo gihe mu nzego zose z’Ubutabera yanyuzemo akaba yarakomeje kuvuga
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ukuri, akaba asanga izo mpamvu zose zigabanya ububi bw’icyaha zitaritaweho n’umucamanza wa mbere ngo abe yahanishwa igifungo kingana n’imyaka amaze muri gereza, cyane ko yashoboraga kugabanyirizwa kugeza ku myaka 2 nk’uko biteganywa n’ingingo ya 83 y’igitabo cy’amategeko ahana ibyaha cyariho igihe icyaha cyakorwaga. [8] Uhagarariye Ubushinjacyaha avuga ko Urukiko Rukuru nta tegeko rwishe rugenera Dusabe igihano cya burundu nubwo yaburanye yemera icyaha kuko umucamanza adategetswe kugabanya ibihano byanze bikunze ku muntu wemera icyaha, akaba asanga igihano yahawe gikwiye kugumaho kubera ubugome bukabije yakoranye iki cyaha.
UKO URUKIKO RUBIBONA [9] Icyaha cy’ubuhotozi gihanishwa igifungo cya burundu nkuko bivugwa mu ngingo ya 312 y’Itegeko-Teka Nº 21/77 ryo kuwa 18/08/1977 nk’uko yavuguruwe rishyiraho Igitabo cy’amategeko ahana cyakoreshwaga igihe icyaha cyakorwaga. [10] Ingingo ya 71 y’Itegeko-Ngenga Nº 01/2012/OL ryo kuwa 02/05/2012 rishyiraho igitabo gishya cy’amategeko ahana, iteganya ko “Umucamanza atanga igihano akurikije uko uhanwa yakoze icyaha, ashingiye ku mpamvu zabimuteye, uko uwakoze icyaha yari asanzwe yitwara, uburyo icyaha cyakozwemo n’imibereho ye bwite”. [11] Ku bijyanye n’igabanya gihano, ingingo ya 76 y’Itegeko Ngenga N° 01/2012/OL ryo kuwa 02/05/2012 rishyiraho igitabo cy’amategeko ahana, iteganya ko umucamanza ubwe aha agaciro impamvu nyoroshyacyaha, ari izakibanjirije, ari izagiherekeje cyangwa izagikurikiye. [12] Ku bijyanye rero na Dusabe, Urukiko rusanga kuba yemera icyaha no kuba yarapfushije abana benshi ubwo yari muri Congo, atari impamvu ihagije yatuma agabanyirizwa igihano kubera ubugome bukomeye yakoranye icyaha, agenda atemagura umwana umwe umwe kugeza ku muto wari ufite imyaka 3. III. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [13] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Dusabe Françoise nta shingiro bufite; [14] Rwemeje ko imikirize y’urubanza rwajuririwe idahindutse; [15] Rutegetse ko amagarama y’urubanza aherera ku Isanduku ya Leta.
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