Rwanda Criminal

Supreme Court

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. NDABARINZE

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Research organized from the available case record

Source document

01

Holding and result

Appellant had already received mitigation for admitting guilt, as sentence was reduced from statutory minimum of 20 years to 10 years; further mitigation or suspension is not legally available as principal sentence exceeds 5 years and interests of the child do not constitute a legal ground for further reduction.

Court disposition

appeal dismissed

Orders

  • No change to prior judgment; appellant to serve 10 years imprisonment
  • Court fees to be borne by the State as appellant is incarcerated

02

Material facts

Parties

Ubushinjacyaha

Prosecution Counsel: PN Higaniro Hermogène

Ndabarinze Védaste

Appellant Counsel: Me Bizimana Jean de Dieu

Amounts and remedies

  • Imprisonment Term: 10

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Criminal Appeal / Final Appellate Judgment

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Party arguments

Applicant
Appellant argued that he was not sufficiently granted mitigation for admitting guilt and seeking forgiveness, and requested further reduction or suspension of sentence in the interests of the child born from the crime.
Respondent
Prosecution argued that the appellant had already received adequate mitigation, the crime attracts life imprisonment, and pregnancy of the victim is not a ground for further mitigation or suspension.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Article 35, Law n°13/2004 of 17/05/2004

    Mitigation for admitting guilt may reduce sentence up to half

  2. 02

    Article 252, Law n°30/2013 of 24/5/2013

    Suspended sentence only available if principal sentence does not exceed 5 years imprisonment

  3. 03

    Judicial reasoning

    Interests of the child born from the crime do not justify further mitigation or suspension

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

Appellant had already received mitigation for admitting guilt, as sentence was reduced from statutory minimum of 20 years to 10 years; further mitigation or suspension is not legally available as principal sentence exceeds 5 years and interests of the child do not constitute a legal ground for further reduction.

Court disposition

appeal dismissed

  • No change to prior judgment; appellant to serve 10 years imprisonment
  • Court fees to be borne by the State as appellant is incarcerated

Source and reliance status

Supreme Court · 31 July 2014

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Judgment reading view

Judgment text

The complete available source text.

Source document

Supreme Court

Criminal· 31 July 2014

RPAA0202/10/CS

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. NDABARINZE

- Source: Amategeko - Section: Decisions (Judgements) - Date: 2014-07-31 - Case/document no.: RPAA0202/10/CS - Collection: Supreme Court

Text

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v. NDABARINZE [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’ IKIRENGA – RPAA0202/10/CS (Mutashya, P.J., Nyirinkwaya na Hitiyaremye, J.) 31 Nyakanga 2014] Amategeko mpanabyaha – Gusambanya umwana utarageza ku myaka 14 – Kwemera icyaha, imwe mu mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha – Itegeko n°13/2004 ryo kuwa 17/05/2004 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha, ingingo ya 35. Amategeko mpanabyaha – Isubikagihano – Ntirishoboka mugihe igihano cy’ iremezo kiri hejuru y’ igifungo cy’ imyaka itanu – Itegeko nº 30/2013 ryo kuwa 24/5/2013 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha, ingingo ya 252. Incamake y’ ikibazo: Uwajuriye yahamijwe n’ Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Muhanga, icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana wari ufite imyaka cumi n’itandatu y’amavuko, rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka icumi, rumugabanyirije kubera ko yemeraga icyaha akanagisabira imbabazi. Yajuririye Urukiko Rukuru, urugereko rwa Nyanza, avuga ko yahanishijwe igihano kiremereye kandi yaraburanye yemera icyaha, narwo ruca urubanza n° RPA 008/09/HC/NYA kuwa 08/04/2010, rwemeza ko ubujurire bwe nta shingiro bufite kuko yagabanyirijwe ibihano ku buryo buhagije. Yajuriye kandi mu Rukiko rw’ Ikirenga avuga ko atagabanyirijwe igihano kandi acyemera akanagisabira imbabazi. Mu gihe cy’ iburanisha, yakomeje avuga ko amategeko atubahirijwe kuko atagabanyirijwe igihano kandi yaraburanye yemera icyaha akagisabira imbabazi, umwunganira nawe asaba ko

inyungu z’umwana zakwitabwaho, maze uregwa akakagabanyirizwa ibihano, byashoboka bigasubikwa, kugira ngo ajye kurera umwana yabyaranye n’ uwo yakoreye icyaha. Uhagarariye Ubushinjacyaha yavuze ko asanga izo mpamvu z’ubujurire nta shingiro zifite kuko uregwa yahanishijwe igifungo cy’imyaka icumi kandi icyaha yakoze gihanishwa ubu igifungo cya burundu, kandi ngo kuba kandi yarateye inda uwo yasambanyije akaba atari impamvu yatuma agabanyirizwa igihano. Incamake y’ icyemezo: 1. Ibyo uwajuriye asaba byo kugabanyirizwa igihano hashingiwe ku kuba yemera icyaha akagisabira imbabazi, yamaze kubihabwa kuko aho guhanishwa igifungo kuva ku myaka 20 kugeza ku myaka 25 yahanishijwe igifungo cy’imyaka 10 gusa, iki gihano kikaba cyubahirije amategeko. 2.Ibyo asaba byo kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano mu nyungu z’umwana yabyaranye n‘uwo yasambanyije nta gaciro byahabwa kuko atari impamvu yatuma uwakoze icyaha areka kugihanirwa.

3. Isubikagihano asaba ntiyarihabwa kuko ritangwa ari uko igihano cy’iremezo cy’igifungo umuntu yakatiwe kitarenze imyaka 5, nyamara we yakatiwe igifungo cy’imyaka 10. Ubujurire nta shingiro bufite. Amategeko yakoreshejwe: Itegeko nº 30/2013 ryo kuwa 24/5/2013 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha, ingingo ya 252. Itegeko n°13/2004 ryo kuwa 17/05/2004 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha, ingingo ya 35. Nta rubanza rwifashishijwe. Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA: [1] Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Muhanga mu rubanza N°RP 0113/06/03/TGI/MHG rwo kuwa 28/11/2008 rwahamije Ndabarinze Védaste icyaha cyo gusambanya Nikuze Charlotte wari ufite imyaka cumi n’itandatu(16

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ans) y’amavuko, rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka icumi(10 ans), rumugabanyirije kubera ko yemeraga icyaha akanagisabira imbabazi. [2] Ndabarinze Védaste ntiyishimiye igihano yahawe maze ajuririra Urukiko Rukuru, urugereko rwa Nyanza, avuga ko yahanishijwe igihano kiremereye kandi yaraburanye yemera icyaha, urukiko ruca urubanza n° RPA 008/09/HC/NYA kuwa 08/04/2010, rwemeza ko ubujurire bwe nta shingiro bufite kuko yagabanyirijwe ibihano ku buryo buhagije. [3] Ndabarinze yarongeye ajuririra Urukiko rw’Ikirenga avuga ko atagabanyirijwe igihano kandi yaremeye icyaka akanagisabira imbabazi. [4] Urubanza rwaburanishijwe mu ruhame kuwa 07/07/2014, Ndabarinze yunganiwe na Me Bizimana Jean de Dieu, Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na PN Higaniro Hermogène. II. ISESENGURA RY’IKIBAZO KIGIZE URU RUBANZA: Kumenya niba Ndabarinze yagabanyirizwa igihano kuko yemera icyaha. [5] Ndabarinze avuga ko amategeko atubahirijwe kuko atagabanyirijwe igihano kandi yaraburanye yemera icyaha akagisabira imbabazi. [6] Me Bizizmana Jean de Dieu umwunganira nawe asaba ko inyungu z’umwana zakwitabwaho, maze Ndabarinze akakagabanyirizwa ibihano, byashoboka bigasubikwa, kugira ngo ajye kurera umwana yabyaranye na Nikuze Charlotte. [7] Uhagarariye Ubushinjacyaha avuga ko asanga izo mpamvu z’ubujurire nta shingiro zifite kuko Ndabarinze yahanishijwe igifungo cy’imyaka 10 kandi icyaha yakoze gihanishwa ubu igifungo cya

burundu, kuba kandi yarateye inda uwo yasambanyije akaba atari impamvu yatuma agabanyirizwa igihano. UKO URUKIKO RUBIBONA: [8] Icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana ufite hagati y'imyaka 14 na 18 y'amavuko Ndabarinze yahamijwe cyahanishwaga igifungo kuva ku myaka 20 kugeza ku myaka 25 hashingiwe ku ngingo ya 34,1° y’itegeko no 27/2001 ryo kuwa 28/04/2001 ryerekeye uburenganzira bw’umwana n’uburyo bwo kumurinda ihohoterwa ryakurikizwaga igihe icyaha cyakorwaga. [9] Ku bijyanye n’impamvu nyoroshyacyaha, ingingo ya 35 igika cya mbere y‘ Itegeko n°13/2004 ryo kuwa 17/05/2004 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha ryariho igihe inkiko zabanje zagenaga igihano ivuga ko iyo ukurikiranyweho icyaha acyiyemereye mu buryo budashidikanywaho umucamanza ashobora kugabanya ibihano byari biteganyijwe kugeza kuri ½ cyabyo, naho ingingo ya 83 y’itegeko teka nº 21/77 ryo kuwa 18/08/1977 rishyiraho igitabo cy’amategeko ahana cyakurikizwaga igihe icyaha cyakorwaga, ikavuga ko iyo hariho impamvu zoroshya icyaha, ibihano bihindurwa cyangwa bikagabanywa ku buryo igihano cyo gufungwa cy’igihe cy’imyaka 5 kugeza kuri 20 cyangwa kirengeje, gishobora kugabanywa kugeza ku mwaka 1. [10] Urukiko rusanga ibyo Ndabarinze asaba byo kugabanyirizwa igihano hashingiwe ku kuba yemera icyaha akagisabira imbabazi, yaramaze kubihabwa kuko aho guhanishwa igifungo kuva ku myaka 20 kugeza ku myaka 25 yahanishijwe

igifungo cy’imyaka 10 gusa, iki gihano kikaba cyubahirije amategeko yavuzwe haruguru. [11] Urukiko rusanga kandi ibyo asaba byo kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano mu nyungu z’umwana yabyaranye n‘uwo yasambanyije nta gaciro byahabwa kuko atari impamvu yatuma uwakoze icyaha areka kugihanirwa. [12] Ku bijyanye n’isubika gihano Ndabarinze asaba, Urukiko rushingiye ku bivugwa mu ngingo ya 252 y’itegeko nº 30/2013 ryo kuwa 24/5/2013 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha, rusanga

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atarihabwa kuko iyo ngingo ivuga ko ritangwa ari uko igihano cy’iremezo cy’igifungo umuntu yakatiwe kitarenze imyaka 5, nyamara we akaba yarakatiwe igifungo cy’imyaka 10. III. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO: [13] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Ndabarinze Védaste nta shingiro bufite. [14] Ruvuze ko nta gihindutse ku rubanza n° RPA 008/09/HC/NYA rwajuririwe, Ndabarinze Védaste akaba ahanishijwe igifungo cy’imyaka icumi (10). [15] Rutegetse ko amagarama y’urubanza aherera ku isanduku ya Leta kuko uwajurire afunze.

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

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

Law n°13/2004 of 17/05/2004, Article 35

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

Law n°30/2013 of 24/5/2013, Article 252

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

Law n°27/2001 of 28/04/2001, Article 34

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

Decree n°21/77 of 18/08/1977, Article 83

Legislation

Legislation referenced in the available case record.

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