Nsabimana v. Ubushinjacyaha
Because the 15-year imprisonment term imposed by the High Court was already the minimum sentence allowed by law for the offence, the appellant could not be granted any further reduction on the basis of mitigating circumstances. Therefore, the appeal was unfounded.
Source-derived case information.
- Parties
- Appellant: Nsabimana Dominique; Respondent: Ubushinjacyaha
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Appeal Before the Court of Appeal
- Outcome
- appeal dismissed as unfounded
- Legal Topics
- Defilement of a Child Under 14, Mitigating Circumstances, Sentence Reduction, Minimum Statutory Sentence
- Source Language
- rw
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Nsabimana Dominique
Appellant
Ubushinjacyaha
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appeal Before the Court of Appeal
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether a sentence already reduced to the minimum statutory term provided by law can be reduced further on appeal on the basis of mitigating circumstances.
- 2 Whether the appeal had merit in light of prior Court of Appeal precedent interpreting Article 2(a) of Law No. 059/2023 amending Law No. 68/2018.
Ratio Decidendi
Because the 15-year imprisonment term imposed by the High Court was already the minimum sentence allowed by law for the offence, the appellant could not be granted any further reduction on the basis of mitigating circumstances. Therefore, the appeal was unfounded.
Court Disposition
appeal dismissed as unfounded
Orders
- The appeal filed by Nsabimana Dominique is dismissed as without merit.
- The judgment RPA 00963/2022/HC/KIG of 29/05/2025 remains unchanged.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
3 paragraphs
NSABIMANA v. UBUSHINJACYAHA [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’UBUJURIRE – RPAA 00586/2025/CA (Rukundakuvuga, P.J.,) 11 Gashyantare 2026] Amategeko agenga ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange – Icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana uri munsi y’imyaka 14 – Gusaba kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano – Uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko ntashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa. Incamake y’ikibazo: Abanyerondo bazanye Nsabimana Dominique n’umwana w’Umukobwa witwa M. Z w’imyaka icumi (10) kuri station ya Police ya Nyakabanda, akekwaho kuba amumaranye ibyumweru bibiri mu nzu, amusambanya. Nsabimana Dominique yahise atangira gukurikiranwa, maze nyuma y’iperereza Ubushinjacyaha bumuregera Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge, bumukurikiranyeho icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana uri munsi y’imyaka 14 y’amavuko, aburana acyemera. Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge rwamuhamije icyaha, ahanishwa igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka makumyabiri n’itanu (25); ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru narwo rukomeza kumuhamya icyaha, ariko rumugabanyiriza igihano; rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15). Nsabimana Dominique yongeye kujuririra Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, asaba kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha zo kuba yaremeye icyaha mu nzego zose ku buryo budasubirwaho 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. 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, ingingo ya 2. Imanza zifashishijwe: Urubanza RPAA 00076/2024 rw’Ubushinjacyaha na Burindwi Jean Bosco, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 20/01/2025; urubanza RPAA 00771/2025/CA, rw’ Ubushinjacyaha na Tugirimana Eric, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 04/02/2026.
Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] Tariki ya 18/3/2020, Abanyerondo bitwa Tuyishimire Narcisse, Muragijimana Suzan na cell Commander wa Nyakabanda II, bazanye Nsabimana Dominique n’umwana w’Umukobwa witwa M. Z1 kuri station ya Police ya Nyakabanda bavuga ko Nsabimana Dominique akekwaho kuba ari mu Mudugudu wa Munini, Akagari ka Nyakabanda II, Umurenge wa Nyakabanda, Akarere ka Nyarugenge, Umujyi wa Kigali, amaranye M.Z w’imyaka icumi (10), ibyumweru bibiri mu nzu, amusambanya. Nsabimana Dominique yahise atangira gukurikiranwa; nyuma y’iperereza Ubushinjacyaha bumuregera Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge, bumukurikiranyeho icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana uri munsi y’imyaka 14 y’amavuko, aburana acyemera. [2] Mu rubanza RP 00752/2020/TGI/NYGE, rwaciwe ku wa 22/04/2022, Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge rwamuhamije icyaha, ahanishwa igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka makumyabiri n’itanu (25); ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru narwo rukomeza kumuhamya icyaha, ariko rumugabanyiriza igihano; rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15). [3] Nsabimana Dominique yongeye kujuririra Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, urubanza rwe ruhabwa RPAA 00586/2025/CA, iburanisha mu ruhame rishyirwa ku wa 09/02/2026. Uwo munsi ugeze, Nsabimana Dominique yitabye yunganiwe na Me Gashayija Mathieu, naho Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na Niyonkuru Françoise, Umushinjacyaha ku rwego rw’Igihugu. [4] Mu bujurire bwe, Nsabimana Dominique nta kindi yasabye uretse kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha zo kuba yaremeye icyaha mu nzego zose ku buryo budasubirwaho ndetse akaba yari asanzwe yitwara neza. [5] 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 kandi ko ibyo byatanzweho umurongo mu manza zitandukanye zaciwe n’uru Rukiko. 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 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 1 Izina ryahawe umwana wahohotewe ku bw’umutekano we 2 Reba igika cya 17-18 cy’urubanza RPAA 00076/2024/CA
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, Ubushinjacyaha buburana na Tugirimana Eric3. [7] Kubera izo mpamvu, uru Rukiko rurasanga ubujurire bwa Nsabimana Dominique nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 yahawe n’Urukiko Rukuru ari cyo gito gishoboka ku cyaha yahamijwe cyo gusambanya umwana uri munsi y’imyaka 144, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa. II. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [8] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Nsabimana Dominique nta shingiro bufite ; [9] Rwemeje ko imikirize y’ urubanza RPA 00963/2022/HC/KIG, rwaciwe n’Urukiko Rukuru ku wa 29/05/2025, idahindutse ; [10] Rutegetse ko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) Nsabimana Dominique yahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru, kigumyeho. 3 Reba igika cya 5 cy’urubanza RPAA 00771/2025/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.