Gahozo Jean Claude v. Ubushinjacyaha
The Court held that Gahozo Jean Claude’s 15-year imprisonment sentence was already the lowest sentence permissible under the law for the offence of defilement of a child under 14, after mitigation had been considered; therefore, it could not be reduced further and the appeal was without merit.
Source-derived case information.
- Parties
- Appellant: Gahozo Jean Claude; Respondent: Ubushinjacyaha
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Appeal Judgment
- Outcome
- appeal dismissed as without merit
- Legal Topics
- Sentencing, Mitigation, Sexual Offences Against a Child Under 14, Appeal Against Sentence
- Source Language
- rw
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Gahozo Jean Claude
Appellant
Ubushinjacyaha
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appeal Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether a sentence already reduced to the minimum provided by law can be further reduced on the basis of mitigating circumstances.
- 2 Whether the appeal against the sentence had merit.
Ratio Decidendi
The Court held that Gahozo Jean Claude’s 15-year imprisonment sentence was already the lowest sentence permissible under the law for the offence of defilement of a child under 14, after mitigation had been considered; therefore, it could not be reduced further and the appeal was without merit.
Court Disposition
appeal dismissed as without merit
Orders
- The appeal by Gahozo Jean Claude is dismissed.
- The judgment in RPA 01342/2021/HC/RWG delivered by the High Court/Ngoma Chamber of Rwamagana on 9/07/2025 remains unchanged.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
3 paragraphs
GAHOZO v. UBUSHINJACYAHA [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’UBUJURIRE – RPAA 00674/2024/CA (Rukundakuvuga, P.J.,) 04 Gashyantare 2026] Amategeko agenga ibyaha n’ibihano – Icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana uri munsi y’imyaka 14 y’amavuko – Gusaba kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano – Uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko, ntashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha. Incamake y’ikibazo: Kantarama Francine yatanze ikirego mu Bugenzacyaha arega Gahozo Jean Claude umushumba we; kuba akekwaho gusambanya G.A.J (umwana wa musaza we yareraga) w’imyaka 9 kuko yavutse 2012. Nyuma y’iperereza Ubushinjacyaha bwareze Gahozo mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Ngoma, bumukurikiranyeho icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana uri munsi y’imyaka 14 y’amavuko. Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Ngoma rwamuhamije icyaha, maze ahanishwa igihano cy’igifungo cya burundu; ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rwamagana narwo rukomeza kumuhamya icyaha, ariko rumugabanyiriza igihano; rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15). Gahozo Jean Claude yongeye kujuririra Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, asaba kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano kugeza munsi y’igito giteganywa n’itegeko hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha zo kuba yaremeye icyaha ndetse akaba yari asanzwe yitwara neza. Ubushinjacyaha bumusubiza buvuga ko hakurijwe ibiteganywa n’Ingingo ya 2(a) y’Itegeko Nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange igihano yahawe ari cyo gito gishoboka; bityo akaba adashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa. Uru Rukiko rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Gahozo Jean Claude nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 yahawe n’Urukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rwamagana ari cyo gito gishoboka ku cyaha yahamijwe cyo gusambanya umwana uri munsi y’imyaka 14, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa. Incamake y’icyemezo: Uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko, ntashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha. Ubujurire nta shingiro bufite. Amategeko yashingiweho: Itegeko Nº 59/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 ihindura Ingingo ya 60 y’Itegeko nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, ingingo ya 2. Imanza zifashishijwe: Urubanza RPAA 00076/2024 rw’Ubushinjacyaha na Burindwi , rwaciwe n’uru Rukiko ku wa 20/01/2025;
Urubanza RPAA 00350/2025/CA, rwa Nzabonimana Wilson n’Ubushinjacyaha rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 21/11/2025. Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] Kantarama Francine yatanze ikirego mu Bugenzacyaha arega Gahozo Jean Claude umushumba we; kuba ku italiki ya 30/07/2021 ari mu Mudugudu wa Kibaza, Akagari ka Nyakagunga, Umurenge wa Fumbwe, Akarere ka Rwamagana, Intara y’Iburasirazuba, yarasigaranye na G.A.J1 (umwana wa musaza we yareraga) w’imyaka 9 kuko yavutse 2012, amujyana mu nzu yo hanze amukuramo ikariso aramusambanya. Nyuma y’iperereza Ubushinjacyaha bwareze Gahozo Jean Claude mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Ngoma, bumukurikiranyeho icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana uri munsi y’imyaka 14 y’amavuko. [2] Mu rubanza RP 01139/2021/TGI/NGOMA, rwaciwe ku wa 03/09/2021, Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Ngoma rwamuhamije icyaha, ahanishwa igihano cy’igifungo cya burundu; ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rwamagana narwo rukomeza kumuhamya icyaha, ariko rumugabanyiriza igihano; rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15). [3] Gahozo Jean Claude yongeye kujuririra Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, urubanza rwe ruhabwa RPAA 00674/2024/CA, iburanisha mu ruhame ryashyirwa ku wa 03/02/2026. Uwo munsi ugeze, Gahozo Jean Claude yitabye yunganiwe na Me Catherine A. Sebazungu, naho Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na Bunyoye Grace, Umushinjacyaha ku rwego rw’Igihugu. [4] Mu bujurire bwe, Gahozo Jean Claude nta kindi yasabye uretse kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano kugeza munsi y’igito giteganywa n’itegeko hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha zo kuba yaremeye icyaha ndetse akaba yari asanzwe yitwara neza. Ubushinjacyaha buvuga ko hakurijwe ibiteganywa n’Ingingo ya 2(a) y’Itegeko Nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange igihano yahawe ari cyo gito gishoboka; bityo akaba adashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa. UKO URUKIKO RUBIBONA [5] Ikibazo cyo kugabanya igihano kubera impamvu nyoroshyacyaha mu gihe igihano cyatanzwe ari cyo gito gishoboka, cyatanzweho umurongo mu rubanza RPAA 00076/2024 rwaciwe n’uru Rukiko ku wa 20/01/2025 haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Burindwi Jean Bosco2 rusobanura imikoreshereze y’Ingingo ya 2, (a) y’Itegeko nº 59/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 ihindura Ingingo ya 60 y’Itegeko nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, iteganya ko iyo umucamanza yemeje impamvu nyoroshyacyaha, igifungo cya burundu gishobora kugabanywa ariko ntikijye munsi y’igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15. 1 Izina ryahawe umwana wahohotewe ku bw’umutekano we 2 Reba igika cya 17-18 cy’urubanza RPAA 00076/2024/CA
Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwemeje ko uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko adashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa. Uwo murongo niwo wakomeje gukurikizwa mu manza zitandukanye zaciwe n’uru Rukiko, uruheruka muri uwo mujyo akaba ari urubanza Nᵒ RPAA 00350/2025/CA rwaciwe ku wa 21/11/2025, rwa Nzabonimana Wilson n’Ubushinjacyaha3. [6] Kubera izo mpamvu, uru Rukiko rurasanga ubujurire bwa Gahozo Jean Claude nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 yahawe n’Urukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rwamagana ari cyo gito gishoboka ku cyaha yahamijwe cyo gusambanya umwana uri munsi y’imyaka 144, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa. II. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [7] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Gahozo Jean Claude nta shingiro bufite. [8] Rwemeje ko imikirize y’urubanza RPA 01342/2021/HC/RWG, rwaciwe n’Urukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rwamagana kuwa 9/07/2025, idahindutse ; [9] Rutegetse ko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) Gahozo Jean Claude yahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rwamagana, kigumyeho. 3 Reba igika cya 14 cy’urubanza RPAA 00350/2025/CA 4 Hashingiwe ku ngingo ya 14 agace ka (3) y’Itegeko nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura Itegeko nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, icyo cyaha guhanishwa igihano cy’igifungo cya burundu.