Karemera v. Ubushinjacyaha
The Court held that the 15-year sentence imposed on Karemera Pheneas was the minimum sentence allowed by law for the offence of defiling a child under 14 years of age, so it could not be reduced further; the appeal therefore had no merit.
Source-derived case information.
- Parties
- Appellant: Karemera Pheneas; Respondent: Ubushinjacyaha
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Appeal Before the Rwanda Court of Appeal
- Outcome
- appeal dismissed
- Legal Topics
- Defilement of a Child, Mitigating Circumstances, Minimum Sentence, Sentence Reduction
- Source Language
- rw
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
More case intelligence is available
Unlock the full research layer for this judgment.
Parties
Karemera Pheneas
Appellant
Ubushinjacyaha
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appeal Before the Rwanda Court of Appeal
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether a sentence already reduced to the minimum allowed by law can be reduced further on appeal for mitigating circumstances.
- 2 Whether the appellant's appeal against sentence had merit.
Ratio Decidendi
The Court held that the 15-year sentence imposed on Karemera Pheneas was the minimum sentence allowed by law for the offence of defiling a child under 14 years of age, so it could not be reduced further; the appeal therefore had no merit.
Court Disposition
appeal dismissed
Orders
- The appeal of Karemera Pheneas is dismissed as unfounded.
- The judgment in RPA 00269/2022/HC/RWG delivered on 18/07/2025 is affirmed.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
3 paragraphs
KAREMERA v. UBUSHINJACYAHA [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’UBUJURIRE – RPAA 00892/2025/CA(Rukundakuvuga, P.J.,) 11 Gashyantare 2026] Amategeko agenga ibyaha n’ibihano – Icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana w’imyaka 3 y’amavuko – Gusaba kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano – Uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko ntashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa. Incamake y’ikibazo: Karemera Pheneas, yashutse U.T w’imyaka itatu n’igice y’amavuko ngo aze ajye kumucira intobo mu gihuru, biza kumenyekana ko yamusambanyirijeyo. Karemera Pheneas yatangiye gukurikiranwa, nyuma y’iperereza Ubushinjacyaha bumuregera Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyagatare. Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyagatare rwamuhamije icyaha ahanishwa 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 ans). Karemera Pheneas yongera kujuririra Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, asaba kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha zo kuba yaremeye icyaha. 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. Urukiko rw’ ubujurire rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Karemera Pheneas 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 y’amavuko1, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa. Incamake y’icyemezo: Uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko ntashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa. 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, ngingo ya 2. Imanza zifashishijwe: Urubanza RPAA 00076/2024 rw’ Ubushinjacyaha na Burindwi Jean Bosco, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 20/01/2025; 4 Hashingiwe ku ngingo ya 14 agace ka (5) 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 gihanishwa igihano cy’igifungo cya burundu
Urubanza RPAA 00771/2025/CA, Tugirimana Eric n’Ubushinjacyaha, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 04/02/2026. Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] Ku wa 14/8/2019, Karemera Pheneas, yashutse U.T2 w’imyaka itatu n’igice y’amavuko ngo aze ajye kumucira intobo mu gihuru, biza kumenyekana ko yamusambanyirijeyo. Karemera Pheneas yatangiye gukurikiranwa, nyuma y’iperereza Ubushinjacyaha bumuregera Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyagatare. [2] Mu rubanza RP 011227/2019/TGI/NYG, rwaciwe ku wa 29/12/2021, Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyagatare rwamuhamije icyaha ahanishwa 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 ans). [3] Karemera Pheneas yongera kujuririra Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, urubanza rwe ruhabwa RPAA 01081/2025/CA, iburanisha mu ruhame rishyirwa ku wa 03/02/2026. Uwo munsi ugeze, Karemera Pheneas yitabye yunganiwe na Me Catherine A. Sebazungu, naho Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na Bunyoye Grace, Umushinjacyaha ku rwego rw’Igihugu. [4] Mu bujurire bwe, Karemera Pheneas yasabye kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha zo kuba yaremeye icyaha. 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. [5] Mu iburanisha, urukiko rwibajije ku myaka Karemera Pheneas yari afite ubwo yakoraga icyaha, kuko rutabashaga kubona ikimenyetso kigaragaza imyaka ye muri dosiye. Iburanisha ryimuriwe kuwa 09/02/2026 kugira ngo Ubushinjacyaha bushake icyemezo kigaragaza itariki y’amavuko ya Karemera Pheneas. Iyo tariki igeze iburanisha ryarasubukuye impande zombi zihagarariwe nka mbere, Ubushinjacyaha bugaragaza kopi y’indangamuntu ya Karemera Pheneas igaragazagaza ko yavutse ku wa 01/01/2000. Karemera Pheneas nawe yemera ko ari iye koko ariko ko atari ayifite, ubwo urubanza rwasubikwaga. Yongeye kwemera ko icyaha yagikoze ko icyo asaba ari ukugabanyirizwa igihano hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha. UKO URUKIKO RUBIBONA [6] 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 Bosco23 1 Izina ryahawe umwana wahohoitewe ku bw’umutekano we 2 Reba igika cya 17-18 cy’urubanza RPAA 00076/2024/CA
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. 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 RPAA 00771/2025/CA rwaciwe ku wa 04/02/2026, haburana Tugirimana Eric n’Ubushinjacyaha4. [7] Kubera izo mpamvu, uru Rukiko rurasanga ubujurire bwa Karemera Pheneas 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 y’amavuko5, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa. II. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [8] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Karemera Pheneas nta shingiro bufite; [9] Rwemeje ko imikirize y’urubanza RPA 00269/2022/HC/RWG rwaciwe n’Urukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rwamagana ku wa 18/07/2025, idahindutse; [10] Rutegetse ko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15 ans) Karemera Pheneas yahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rwamagana, kigumyeho; 3 Reba igika cya 05 cy’urubanza RPAA 00771/2025/CA 4 Hashingiwe ku ngingo ya 14 agace ka (5) 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 gihanishwa igihano cy’igifungo cya burundu