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Rwanda Commercial

Supreme Court

LA BAGUETTE v. MICHAEL

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Source document

01

Holding and result

The only lawful procedure after a dismissal for non-appearance is to seek reinstatement of the original case within the prescribed period and upon showing valid reasons; filing a new, identical claim is not allowed under Rwandan procedural law.

Court disposition

Appeal dismissed; lower court decision affirmed.

Orders

  • The appeal by LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation is dismissed as unfounded.
  • The decision of the Commercial High Court in RCOM 0231/10/HCC of 11/11/2010 remains unchanged.
  • LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation is ordered to pay 30,350 Rwandan Francs in court costs within eight days, failing which the amount will be forcibly recovered from its assets by the State.

02

Material facts

Parties

LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation

Applicant Counsel: Me Bimenyimana Eric

Michael FIETZEK

Respondent Counsel: Me Nubumwe Jean Bosco

Amounts and remedies

  • Court Costs: RWF 30,350

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Commercial Appeal / Supreme Court Judgment

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
Dismissal for non-appearance does not extinguish the right to file a new claim; since the case was not heard on the merits, a new claim is permissible.
Respondent
The law provides only for reinstatement of a dismissed case within a set period, not for filing a new, identical claim; the applicant's approach is contrary to procedural law.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Article 51 of Law No. 18/2004 of 20/06/2004 on Civil, Commercial, Labour and Administrative Procedure, as amended

    When a case is dismissed for non-appearance, the only legal avenue for the party is to seek reinstatement within the statutory period by showing valid reasons for absence.

  2. 02

    Article 51 of Law No. 18/2004

    Filing a new, identical claim after dismissal for non-appearance is not permitted and is considered an attempt to circumvent procedural requirements.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The only lawful procedure after a dismissal for non-appearance is to seek reinstatement of the original case within the prescribed period and upon showing valid reasons; filing a new, identical claim is not allowed under Rwandan procedural law.

Obiter and limits

  • The right to seek reinstatement after dismissal for non-appearance is limited to fifteen days from the date of dismissal.
  • Dismissal for non-appearance does not permanently extinguish the right to a hearing, but the procedure for reinstatement must be strictly followed.

Court disposition

Appeal dismissed; lower court decision affirmed.

  • The appeal by LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation is dismissed as unfounded.
  • The decision of the Commercial High Court in RCOM 0231/10/HCC of 11/11/2010 remains unchanged.
  • LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation is ordered to pay 30,350 Rwandan Francs in court costs within eight days, failing which the amount will be forcibly recovered from its assets by the State.

Source and reliance status

Supreme Court · 13 July 2012

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

Supreme Court

Commercial· 13 July 2012

RCOMA 0121/10/CS

LA BAGUETTE v. MICHAEL

- Source: Amategeko - Section: Decisions (Judgements) - Date: 2012-07-13 - Case/document no.: RCOMA 0121/10/CS - Collection: Supreme Court

Text

Page 1

LA BAGUETTE v. MICHAEL [Rwanda – URUKIKO RW’IKIRENGA – 2012 SC – RCOMA 0121/10/CS (Mukanyundo, P.J., Kanyange na Rugabirwa, J.) 13 Nyakanga 2012] Amategeko y’ubucuruzi – Gusiba urubanza biturutse kutitaba k’urega – Gutanga ikirego gisa n’icyasibwe – Ntakindi kirego gisa n’icyasibwe gishobora gutangwa bundi bushya aho kubyutsa icya mbere ngo kigire ishingiro – Nta washingira ko bivuze ko nta kirego gihari, kandi ko nta rundi rubanza ruba rwaraciwe ku buryo rwarangizwa, Itegeko n° 18/2004 ryo kuwa 20/06/2004 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza mbonezamubano; iz’ubucuruzi, iz’umurimo, n’iz’ubutegetsi nk’uko ryahinduwe kandi rikuzuzwa kugeza ubu, Ingingo ya 51. Incamake y’ikibazo: LA BAGUETTE SARL yatanze ikirego mu Rukiko Rukuru rw’Ubucuruzi irega Michael FIETZ igamije kugaruza umutungo wayo nyuma y’aho Urukiko rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge rwari rwaciye urubanza kuwa 20/01/2006 rwemeza ko LA BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation isheshwe ndetse runasesa ibyemezo byafatiwe mu nama rusange zayo zo kuwa 08/12/2009 no kuwa 11/05/2002. Urukiko rwemeza ko ikirego cya LA BAGUETTE gisibwe mu bitabo by’Urukiko kubera ko yareze ariko ntiyitabe kandi ntinmenyeshe Urukiko impamvu ititabye. LA BAGUETTE yongeye gutanga ikindi kirego gisa nk’icyasibwe mu Rukiko Rukuru rw’Ubucuruzi. Urukiko rwemeza ko ikirego cyayo kitakiriwe kubera ko aho kubyutsa urubanza yahisemo kongera gutanga ikirego bundi bushya.

Uregwa we akavuga ko ikirego cyayo kitakwakirwa kuko cyaba cyinyuranyije n’inzira amategeko yateganyije. LA BAGUETTE yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ikirenga ivuga ko Urukiko rubanza rutahaye agaciro ingingo yaburanishije aho yasobanuye ko gusiba urubanza biba bitavanyeho uburenganzira bwo kongera kurega. Naho uregwa we akavuga ko iyo urubanza rusibwe ntayindi nzira amategeko yateganyije yo kongera kuruburanisha itari iyo kurubyutsa. Incamake y’icyemezo: 1. Iyo urubanza rwasibwe mu bitabo by’urukiko, mu rwego urwo arirwo rwose, bitewe n’ikosa ry’ushaka kongera kurubyutsa, icyo kibazo cye nticyakirwa atabanje kugaragaza impamvu ikomeye yamubujije kuza kuruburana mbere. Byumvikana ko inzira yo kubyutsa urubanza ariyo yonyine amategeko ateganyiriza umuburanyi wasibiwe urubanza kubera kutitaba wifuza ko Urukiko rwarusibye rwongera kuburanisha ikirego cye. Gushaka gutanga ikirego gishya bikaba byagaragara ahubwo nko guhunga ibitegekwa n’amategeko. Bityo ubujurire bwa LA BAGUETTE akaba nta shingiro bufite. Ubujurire nta shingiro bufite. Imikirize y’urubanza rwajuririwe ntihindutse. Amagarama aherereye ku uwajuriye.

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Amategeko yashingiweho: Itegeko n° 18/2004 ryo kuwa 20/06/2004 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza mbonezamubano; iz’ubucuruzi, iz’umurimo, n’iz’ubutegetsi nk’uko ryahinduwe kandi rikuzuzwa kugeza ubu, Ingingo ya 51. Nta manza zifashishijwe: Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation (iri mu iseswa), yashinzwe n’abanyamigabane batandatu, itangira gukora kuwa 16/07/1996. Intandaro y’ikibazo yaturutse mu nama y’inteko idasanzwe ya LA BAGUETTE SARL yo kuwa 8/12/1999 yafashe icyemezo cyo gusezerera Peter KUNNE, umwe mubagize sosiyete, imusimbuza MICHAEL Kunne, nyuma y’impaka zakuruwe n’icyo cyemezo, abanyamigabane ntibabyumvikanyeho bituma biyambaza Inkiko kugira ngo barebe ko ibibazo bafitanye bikemuka. [2] Nyuma y’uko rushyikirijwe ikirego na bamwe mubanyamigabane bari bagize LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation, Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge rwaciye urubanza kuwa 20/01/2006 rwemeza ko LA BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation isheshwe ndetse runasesa ibyemezo byafatiwe mu nama rusange za LA BAGUETTE SARL zo kuwa 08/12/2009 no kuwa 11/05/2002. [3] LA BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation yareze Michael FIETZ mu Rukiko Rukuru rw’Ubucuruzi, igamije kugaruza umutungo wayo, ikirego cyayo cyandikwa kuri RCOM 0147/09/HCC, urukiko ruca urubanza ko ikirego cya LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation gisibwe mu bitabo by’ibirego hashingiwe ku ngingo ya 50 y’Itegeko n° 18/2004 ryo

kuwa 20/06/2004 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza mbonezamubano; iz’ubucuruzi, iz’umurimo, n’iz’ubutegetsi nk’uko ryahinduwe kandi rikuzuzwa kugeza ubu, kubera ko yareze ariko ntiyitabe kandi itamenyesheje Urukiko impamvu ititabye. [4] LA BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation yongeye gutanga ikindi kirego gisa nk’icyasibwe mu Rukiko Rukuru rw’Ubucuruzi, ikirego cyayo cyandikwa kuri RCOM 0231/10/HCC. Urukiko rwemeje ko ikirego cya LA BAGUETTE en liquidation kitakiriwe kubera ko cyatanzwe mu buryo budakurikije amategeko kuko aho kubyutsa urubanza nk’uko biteganywa n’ingingo ya 51 y’Itegeko n° 18/2004 ryo kuwa 20/06/2004 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza mbonezamubano; iz’ubucuruzi, iz’umurimo, n’iz’ubutegetsi nk’uko ryahinduwe kandi rikuzuzwa kugeza ubu, yo yahisemo kongera gutanga ikirego bundi bushya. [5] LA BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation yajuririye icyo cyemezo mu Rukiko rw’Ikirenga ivuga ko Urukiko rubanza rutahaye agaciro ingingo yaburanishije aho yasobanuye ko gusiba urubanza biba bitavanyeho uburenganzira bwo kongera kurega.

Page 3

[6] Iburanisha ryabaye kuwa 29/05/2012, LA BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation, ihagarariwe na Me Bimenyimana Eric naho MICHAEL FIETZEK aburanirwa na Me Nubumwe Jean Bosco. II. IBIBAZO BIGIZE URUBANZA N‘ISESENGURA RYABYO 1.Kumenya niba LA BAGUETTE yari yaratanze ikirego kigasibwa yarashoboraga gutanga ikirego bundi bushya aho kubyutsa icya mbere [7] Me Bimenyimana Eric uhagarariye LA BAGUETTE SARL, en Liquidation avuga ko bajuriye kubera y’uko Urukiko Rukuru rw’Ubucuruzi rutahaye agaciro ingingo baburanishije aho bavugaga ko gusiba urubanza biba bitavanyeho uburenganzira bwo kongera kurega. Avuga ko iyo urubanza rusibwe ku rwego rwa mbere rutaraburanishwa mu mizi, biba bivuze ko nta kirego gihari, kandi ko nta rundi rubanza ruba rwaraciwe ku buryo rwarangizwa, ibyo bikaba bitandukanye n’ikirego gisibwa kiri ku rwego rw’ubujurire cyangwa se gisaba gusubirishamo urubanza, kuko gusiba bene ibi birego bihita biha imbaraga urubanza rwaciwe mbere kuko ikirego cyahagarikaga irangiza ryazo kiba kitagihari. [8] Avuga ko iyo umuburanyi abyukije urubanza rwe, rwongera kugira ubuzima mu rwego rw’amategeko ( vie juridique), ariko ko atariyo nzira yonyine yakoresha ku buryo aramutse atayikoresheje yaba atakaje burundu uburenganzira bwe bwo kurenganurwa n’inkiko kuko ntakimubuza igihe icyari cyo cyose kuba yakongera gutanga icyo kirego bundi bushya. [9] Me NUBUMWE Jean Bosco uhagarariye uregwa,

avuga ko Urukiko rwanze kwakira ikirego cya LA BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation, rushingiye ku ngingo ya 51 y’Itegeko n° 18/2004 ryo kuwa 20/06/2004 ryavuzwe haruguru, iyi ngingo ikaba iteganya ko urubanza rwasibwe nta yindi nzira ruba rusigaje kugira ngo rwongere kuburanishwa usibye iyo kurubyutsa mu gihe giteganywa n’amategeko. Asaba Urukiko kutakira ikirego cya LA BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation kuko ntaho gishingiye mu rwego rw’amategeko.

UKO URUKIKO RUBIBONA [10] Ku byerekeye inzira yakoreshwa kugira ngo urubanza rwasibwe kubera kutitaba rubyutswe, ingingo ya 51 y’itegeko n° 18/2004 ryo kuwa 20/06/2004 ryavuzwe haruguru, iteganya ko « iyo urubanza rwasibwe mu bitabo by’urukiko, mu rwego urwo arirwo rwose, bitewe n’ikosa ry’ushaka kongera kurubyutsa, icyo kibazo cye nticyakirwa atabanje kugaragaza impamvu ikomeye yamubujije kuza kuruburana mbere. Kongera kurubyutsa bikorwa mu gihe cy’iminsi cumi n’itanu(15) kuva umunsi urubanza rwasibweho. Urukiko rwaregewe ni rwo rufite ububasha bwo kubimwemerera rusanze impamvu atanga ari zo. Icyemezo rufashe ntikijuririrwa. Kubyutsa urubanza mu rwego rw’ubujurire ntibihagarika irangiza ryarwo. [11] Ingingo imaze kuvugwa haruguru igaragaza ku buryo bwumvikana ko inzira yo kubyutsa urubanza ariyo yonyine amategeko ateganyiriza umuburanyi wasibiwe urubanza kubera kutitaba wifuza ko Urukiko rwarusibye rwongera kuburanisha ikirego cye, kandi nabwo rukabimwemerera ari uko abanje kwerekana impamvu nyazo zatumye atitaba ku munsi yari yahamagaweho mu buryo bukurikije amategeko.

Page 4

[12] Urukiko rurasanga imvugo y‘uburanira la BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation y’uko kubyutsa urubanza bigomba gukorwa gusa n’uwaregaga mu bujurire kubera ko haba hari urubanza rwamaze kuburanishwa mu mizi rushobora kurangizwa, nta shingiro ifite, kuko mu gika cya mbere cy’ingingo ya 51 y’itegeko n° 18/2004 ryo kuwa 20/06/2004 ryavuzwe haruguru bigaragara ko kubyutsa urubanza bikorwa hatitawe ku rwego urubanza rugezeho. Nk’uko kandi byasobanuwe n’umucamanza wa mbere, kuba ikirego gisibwe ntibyambura uwari wagitanze uburenganzira bwo kurenganurwa n’inkiko, kuko ingingo ya 51 yavuzwe imuha amahirwe yo kongera kuburana ikirego cye imbere y’urukiko yari yararegeye amaze gusobanura impamvu zatumye atitaba mbere, gushaka gutanga ikirego gishya bikaba byagaragara ahubwo nko guhunga ibitegekwa n’iyi ngingo. [13] Ku byerekeye imvugo y‘uburanira la BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation kouburenganzira bwo kongera gusaba umucamanza wasibye urubanza kongera kuruburanisha budafite igihe burangirira, Urukikio rurasanga mu ngingo ya 51 y’itegeko n° 18/2004 ryo kuwa 20/06/2004 ryavuzwe haruguru, umushingamategeko yarerekanye ku buryo bwumvikana ugaragara ko uburenganzira bwo kubyutsa urubanza bumara gusa igihe cy‘iminsi cumi n’itanu kuva urubanza rusibwe, bityo rero kumva ko umuburanyi ashobora gutanga ikirego nyuma y’icyo gihe bikaba ari ukwumva nabi ibyo itegeko riteganya. [14] Hashingiwe ku bimaze kuvugwa, Urukiko rurasanga ingingo ya 51 nta rujijo iteye kuko ibikubiyemo bisobanutse ku buryo ntawakumva hari ubundi buryo urubanza rwasibwe rwakongera kuburanishwa hadakoreshejwe inzira yo kurubyutsa, bityo ubujurire bwa La BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation bushingiye ku myumvire itandukanye n’ibiteganywa n’amategeko bukaba nta shingiro bufite.

2. Kumenya niba MICHAEL FIETZEK yahabwa amafaranga asaba [15] Me Nubumwe asaba ko LA BAGUETTE SARL, en liquidation yaha uwo aburanira amafaranga 2.000.000 ajyanye n’ikurikiranarubanza n’igihembo cya avoka, uburanira LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation akavuga ko ikirego nta shingiro gifite kuko yagiye mu nkiko igamije kugaruza umutungo wayo cyane ko na MICHAEL FIETZEK ari umunyamigabane muri iyo Sosiyete, bityo akaba nta ndishyi akwiye gusaba. [16] Urukiko rurasanga amafaranga y’ikurikiranarubanza n’igihembo cya avoka Michael FIETZEK asaba, atagomba kuyahabwa kuko atagaragaza aho ashingira ayasaba kuri uru rwego. III. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [17] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation nta shingiro bufite. [18] Ruvuze ko imikirize y’urubanza RCOM 0231/10/HCC rwaciwe n‘Urukiko Rukuru rw’Ubucuruzi kuwa 11/11/2010 idahindutse. [19] Rutegetse LA BAGUETTE SARL en liquidation kwishyura 30.350 Frw y‘amagarama y’urubanza itayatanga mu gihe cy’iminsi umunani, ayo mafaranga agakurwa mu mutungo wayo ku ngufu za Leta.

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Law No. 18/2004 of 20/06/2004 on Civil, Commercial, Labour and Administrative Procedure, as amended, Article 51

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