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Rwanda Criminal

High Court

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. MUSABENDE

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Source document

01

Holding and result

The court found that the medical report confirmed death by violent trauma (beating with a stick), and that multiple witnesses, including family and community members, credibly testified that Musabende Claudine beat her husband, after which she fled. The court rejected the appellant's arguments as unsubstantiated and upheld the conviction and sentence.

Court disposition

Appeal dismissed; conviction and sentence affirmed.

Orders

  • The judgment of the lower court (RP 0233/13/TGI/NYGE) is upheld.
  • Court costs are to be borne by the appellant and charged to the State treasury.

02

Material facts

Parties

Ubushinjacyaha

Prosecution

Musabende Claudine

Appellant/accused

Amounts and remedies

  • Prison Sentence: years 10

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Criminal Appeal / High Court Appellate Judgment

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
Musabende Claudine argued that there was no medical certificate proving she killed her husband, no photographs of injuries, and claimed her husband died of AIDS, as she also tested positive after imprisonment. She requested acquittal to care for the orphans left behind.
Respondent
The prosecution argued that the medical certificate was in the file and confirmed death by beating, that photographs were not essential evidence, and that Musabende's claim of AIDS was irrelevant as she was alive with the condition. The prosecution maintained that witness testimony and the medical report proved Musabende's guilt.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Article 3, Law no 15/2004 of 12/6/2004 on evidence in judicial proceedings

    Each party must prove the truth of their claims.

  2. 02

    Article 65, Law no 15/2004 of 12/6/2004 on evidence in judicial proceedings

    The court alone assesses the credibility and sufficiency of witness testimony, regardless of number, focusing on knowledge and consistency.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The court found that the medical report confirmed death by violent trauma (beating with a stick), and that multiple witnesses, including family and community members, credibly testified that Musabende Claudine beat her husband, after which she fled. The court rejected the appellant's arguments as unsubstantiated and upheld the conviction and sentence.

Obiter and limits

  • Photographs of injuries are not indispensable evidence if other credible evidence exists.
  • A party's own HIV status does not prove the cause of another's death.

Court disposition

Appeal dismissed; conviction and sentence affirmed.

  • The judgment of the lower court (RP 0233/13/TGI/NYGE) is upheld.
  • Court costs are to be borne by the appellant and charged to the State treasury.

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 0582/13/HC/KIG

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. MUSABENDE

- Source: Amategeko - Section: Decisions (Judgements) - Date: 2014-03-21 - Case/document no.: RPA 0582/13/HC/KIG - Collection: High Court

Text

Page 1

UBUSHINJACYAHA v.

MUSABENDE [Rwanda URUKIKO RUKURU – RPA 0582/13/HC/KIG (UWAMARIYA, P.J., J.) 21 Werurwe 2014] Amategeko y’ibimenyetso – kwicwa n’inkoni – Kuvira imbere bigaragaza ko habaye gukubitwa. – Itegeko no 15/2004 ryo kuwa 12/6/2004 ryerekeye ibimenyetso mu manza n’itangwa ryabyo, ingingo ya 3 Amategeko

y’ibimenyetso

–

Kuba

hari abatangabuhamya bamushinja, raporo ya muganga ikagaragaza ko yishwe akubiswe ndetse akimara gukora ayo mahano akaba yarahise ahunga bigaragaza ko ariwe wamukubise – Itegeko no 15/2004 ryo kuwa 12/6/2004 ryerekeye ibimenyetso mu manza n’itangwa ryabyo, ingingo ya 65. Incamake y’ikibazo: Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge rwahamije Musabende Claudine icyaha cyo gukubita no gukomeretsa byaviriyemo umugabo we gupfa, rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka icumi. Yajuriye mu Rukiko Rukuru avuga ko atishimiye imikirize y’Urukiko rwabanje kuko nta cyemezo cya muganga kigaragaza ko ariwe wishe umugabo we akaba nta namafoto agaragaza ibikomere. Yongeyeho koyamenye ko umugabo we yishwe n’ubwandu bwa SIDA kuko nawe yamenye ko yanduye nyuma yo kwipimisha. Ubushinjacyaha bwireguye buvuga ko icyo cyemezo

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avuga kiri muri dosiye kandi kikaba cyemeza ko yishwe n’inkonikandi ibikomere avuga akaba ataricyo kimenyetso kampara. Ibyerekeye imvugo ko yishwe na SIDA nabyo akaba nta shingiro byahabwa kuko nawe abufite kandi akaba ariho. Incamake y’icyemezo:.Buri muburanyi agomba kugaragaza ukuri kw’ibyo avuga. Kuvuga ko nta kigaragaza ko umugabo we yishwe n’inkoni ndetse ko nta n’icyemezo cya muganga kigaragaza ibikomere nta shingiro byahahabwa kuko nk’uko raporo ya muganga iri muri dosiye ibigaragaza nyakwigendera yari yaviriye imbere kandi ntibyari kubaho atakubiswe. Kuba raporo ya muganga igaragaza ko nyakwigendera yishwe n’inkoni hakaba hari n’abatangabuhamya bamushinja ko yakubise umugabo we akanamuciraho imyenda ndetse na raporo y’ubuyobozi bw’umudugudu ikaba ivuga ko umugabo we yatabawe na rubanda ndetse hakaba hari umutangabuhamya wahurujwe n’umwana wabo akemeza ko nyakwigendera akimara gukubitwa umugore yahise ahunga akagaruka mugitondo asanga umugabo asamba, bigaragaza nta gushidikanya ko Musabende Claudine ari we wakubise umugabo we bikaza kumuviramo urupfu. Ubujurire nta shingiro bufite Urubanza rwajuririwe ntiruhindutse. Amagarama y’urubanza aherereye ku isanduku ya leta

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Amategeko yashungiweho: Itegeko no 15/2004 ryo kuwa 12/6/2004 ryerekeye ibimenyetso mu manza n’itangwa ryabyo, ingingo ya 3 na 65. Nta manza zifashishijwe. Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] Mu rubanza RP 0233/13/TGI/NYGE rwaciwe n’urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge kuwa 19/7/2013, urukiko rwahamije Musabende Claudine icyaha cyo gukubita no gukomeretsa umuntu bikamuviramo urupfu, rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka icumi. [2] Musabenda ntiyishimiye imikirize y’urubanza arujurira mu Rukiko Rukuru. Asobanura ko impamvu zatumye ajurira aruko atishimiye ibihano yakatiwe kuko ari nta cyemezo cya muganga kigaragaza ko ariwe wishe umugabo we akaba ari nta mafoto agaragaza ibikomere. Avuga ko yamenye ko umugabo we yishwe n’ubwandu bwa SIDA kuko nawe yageze muri gereza akipimisha agasanga yaranduye akaba asaba ko yarengenurwa akajya kurera imfubyi yamusigiye kuko nazo ubwo zibana n’ubwandu. [3] Ubushinjacyaha bwiregura buvuga ko icyemezo cya muganga Musabende avuga kiri muri dosiye kikaba

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kigaragaza ko umugabo we yishwe n’inkoni, amafoto y’ibikomere avuga ko atabonye akaba atari cyo kimenyetso kamara cyagaragaza ko umuntu atakubiswe, naho ibyo Musabende avuga ko yipimishije agasanga abana n’ubwandu akaba atari ikimenyetso kuko nawe ubufite ariho, bityo ubujurire bwe bukaba ari nta shingiro bufite, urubanza yajuririye rukaba rutahindurwa. Ikigomba gusuzumwa muri uru rubanza, nukumenya niba Furere Isaie yarishwe n’inkoni no kumenya niba Musabende atariwe wamukubise.

II.

IBIBAZO BIRI MU RUBANZA N’ISESENGURWA RYABYO  kumenya niba FURERE Isaïe yarishwe n’inkoni [4] Musabende asobanura ko atishimiye ibihano yakatiwe kuko nta kigaragaza ko ariwe wishe umugabo we akaba ari nta nyandiko ya muganga igaragaza ko yishwe n’inkoni kuko ari nta mafoto agaraza ibikomere, akaba ataragombaga kwiyicira umugabo kuko atariwe wari wishimiye kuba umupfakazi, ahubwo akaba yaramenye ko umugabo we yishwe n’ubwandu bwa sida kuko nawe amaze kugera muri gereza yipimishije agasanga yaranduye, bityo n’imfubyi yamusigiye nazo zikaba zifite ubwandu. [5] Ubushinjacyaha bwiregura buvuga ko icyemezo cya muganga MUSABENDE avuga ko kidahari kiri muri dosiye kandi urukiko mu guca urubanza rukaba rwaragishingiyeho, urukiko kandi akaba arirwo rupima

Page 5

ko ibimenyetso bihuye n’ukuri, amafoto y’ibikomere avuga ko atabonye akaba ataricyo kimenyetso kamara cyagaragaza ko nyakwigendera atakubiswe, naho ibyo avuga ko yipimishije agasanga afite ubwandu akaba Atari ikimenyetso kuko nawe uvuga ko abufite akiriho. [6] Ingingo ya 3 y’itegeko no 15/2004 ryo kuwa 12/6/2004 ryerekeye ibimenyetso mu manza n’itangwa ryabyo ivuga ko buri muburanyi agomba kugaragaza ukuri kw’ibyo aburana. Ibyo Musabende avuga ko nta kigaragaza ko umugabo we yishwe n’inkoni ko nta n’icyemezo cya muganga kibigaragaza cyangwa amafoto agaragaza ibikomere nta gaciro byahabwa kuko nkuko n’umucamanza w’Urukiko Rwisumbuye yabibonye nta gushidikanya ko FURERE Isaie yishwe n’inkoni kuko raporo ya muganga ibigaragaza, aho mu mwanzuro wayo muganga agira ati “La mort est de cause violente : la cause de la mort est vraisemblablement une contusion des poumoms, l’origine traumatique est plus plausible”1. Kandi nkuko na none iyo raporo ibigaragaza nyakwigendera yari yaviriye imbere mu gatuza, akaba ari nta kuntu yari kuvira imbere atakubiswe.  kumenya niba MUSABENDE atariwe wakubise FURERE Isaïe [7] MUSABENDE avuga ko umugabo we atakubiswe,

abamushinja

akavuga

ko

ari abamugambambaniye kubera amasano bafitanye n’umugabo kuko ari abavandimwe be akaba ari nabo 1 hoc traumatique: perturbation du bon fonctionnement de l'organisme suite à un traumatisme, Traumatisme : qui concerne les plais, les blessures., . http://dictionnaire.reverso.net/francais-definition/traumatiqu e, consuté le 21/3/2014

Page 6

bamufungishije, n’abana be kumushinja akaba ari ibyo abo benewabo babashyizemo. [8] Ubushinjacyaha bwiregura buvuga ko ibyo Musabende avuga ari amatakirangoyi kuko hari abatangabuhamya bamushinja ko ariwe wakubise umugabo we, hakaba hari raporo y’ubuyobozi nayo ivuga ko ari we wamukubise, byahuzwa nuko na raporo ya muganga igaragaza ko nyakwigendera yishwe n’inkoni akaba ari nta gushidikanya ko ariwe wamukubise. [9] Ingingo ya 65 y’itegeko no 15/2004 ryo kuwa 12/6/2004 ryerekeye ibimenyetso mu manza n’itangwa ryabyo itegenya ko urukiko arirwo rwonyine rupima ko imikirize y’abatangabuhamya ihuye n’ikiburanwa, ifite ingingo zikiranuye kandi ikaba ikwiye kwemerwa cyangwa guhakanwa. Ntirwitsitsa ku mubare w’abatangabuhamya. Rwita cyane cyane ku bumenyi bwabo bw’ibyabaye, no ku buryo babivuga uko byagenze nta cyo bihimbira. Urukiko rushingiye ku biteganywa n’iyi ngingo rurasanga ibyo MUSABENDE avuga ko yagambaniwe mu kumushinja ko ariwe wishe umugabo we nta gaciro bigomba guhabwa kuko kuba muganga yaremeje ko nyakwigendera yishwe n’inkoni bigakubitiraho ko hari abatangabuhamya bemeza ko MUSABENDE yakubise umugabo we akanamuciraho imyenda (ibyo bikaba byarasobanuwe bihagije mu rubanza rwajurirwe mu gika cya 7 aho umucamanza agaragaza imvugo z’abatangabugamya zigaragaza ko akubita umugabo we yatabawe na rubanda raporo y’ubuyobozi bw’umudugudu, na Nsabimana Francois

Page 7

Xavier wahurujwe n’umwana wabo witwa Uwimana Liliane), yamara kumukubita agahita ahunga akagaruka nijoro nabwo ntarare mu nzu akagaruka mu gitondo asanga umubagabo we asamba agahita apfa, urukiko rurasanga nta gushidikanya ko ariwe wamukubise, uku kumukubita akaba ariko kwamuviriyemo urupfu nkuko byemejwe na muganga muri raporo yakoze. [10] Urukiko rushingiye kuri ibi byose rubonye, rurasanga ubujurire bwa MUSABENDE Claudine nta shingiro bufite, imikirize y’urubanza rwajuririwe ikaba itagomba guhinduka. III. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [11] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Musabende Claudine budafite ishingiro. [12]

Rwemeje ko imikirize y’urubanza RP 0233/13/TGI/NYGE rwajuririwe idahindutse. [13] Rutegetse ko amagarama y’urubanza ahererezwa ku isanduku ya Leta kuko MUSABENDE Claudine wajuriye afunzwe.

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

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

Law no 15/2004 of 12/6/2004 on evidence in judicial proceedings, Articles 3 and 65

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