NSENGIMANA v. UBUSHINJACYAHA
The Court held that the 15-year imprisonment term and 5,000,000 Frw fine imposed by the High Court, Nyanza Chamber, were already the lowest sentence available for the convicted cannabis trafficking offence, so they could not be further reduced; the requested suspension was also unavailable because the principal...
Source-derived case information.
- Parties
- Appellant: Nsengimana Emmanuel; Respondent: Ubushinjacyaha
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Appeal Judgment
- Outcome
- appeal dismissed; no merit
- Legal Topics
- Trafficking in Cannabis, Mitigating Circumstances, Sentence Reduction, Suspension of Sentence
- Source Language
- rw
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Nsengimana Emmanuel
Appellant
Ubushinjacyaha
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appeal Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the Court of Appeal could further reduce Nsengimana Emmanuel's sentence below 15 years' imprisonment and 5,000,000 Frw fine for cannabis trafficking.
- 2 Whether the sentence could be suspended.
Ratio Decidendi
The Court held that the 15-year imprisonment term and 5,000,000 Frw fine imposed by the High Court, Nyanza Chamber, were already the lowest sentence available for the convicted cannabis trafficking offence, so they could not be further reduced; the requested suspension was also unavailable because the principal custodial sentence exceeded five years. The appeal was therefore unfounded.
Court Disposition
appeal dismissed; no merit
Orders
- The appeal by Nsengimana Emmanuel is dismissed as unfounded.
- Judgment RPA 00625/2022/HC/NYZ of the High Court, Nyanza Chamber, dated 24/07/2025, remains unchanged in all its parts.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
4 paragraphs
NSENGIMANA v. UBUSHINJACYAHA [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’UBUJURIRE – RPAA 00860/2025/CA (Tugireyezu, P.J.,) 17 Gashyantare 2026] Amategeko agenga ibyaha n’ibihano – Icyaha cyo gucuruza ibiyobyabwenge – Gusaba kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano – Ku bahamijwe icyaha cyo gucuruza urumogi, bahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya Miliyoni eshanu (5.000.000 Frw) hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha, bakajurira basaba kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano, badashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha ku buryo kijya munsi y’igifungo cy’imyaka 15; kandi ko n’ihazabu iteganyijwe idashobora kugabanywa ngo ibe yajya munsi ya kimwe cya kane cy’ihazabu nto iteganyirijwe icyaha. Incamake y’ikibazo: Nsengimana Emmanuel yakurikiranweho kuba yarafatanwe urumogi boules 36. Nyuma y’iperereza, yarezwe mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Muhanga, maze uru Rukiko rumuhamya icyaha cyo gucuruza ibiyobyabwenge, maze rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka 25 no gutanga ihazabu ingana na 21.000.000 Frw, ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza, maze narwo rumuhamya icyaha, rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya miriyoni eshanu (5.000.000 Frw). Nsengimana Emmanuel yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, asaba kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano, agahabwa gito kiri munsi y’igito giteganywa n’itegeko, asaba no gusubikirwa ibihano. Ubushinjacyaha bwasubije ko igihano yahawe aricyo gito gishoboka hakurijwe ingingo ya 2 y’Itegeko Nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange ihindura ingingo ya 60 y’Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, akaba adashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa. Muri uru Rukiko hasuzumwe ikibazo cyo kumenya niba rushobora kugabanyiriza Nsengimana Emmanuel igihano, rukajya munsi y’igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya miriyoni eshanu (5.000.000Frw) yahanishijwe ku cyaha cyo kugurisha ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi yahamijwe ndetse niba yanasubikirwa. Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Nsengimana Emmanuel nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5.000.000Frw yahawe n’Urukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza aricyo gito gishoboka ku cyaha cyo kugurisha ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi yahamijwe, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa, rwemeza kandi ko isubikagihano uregwa asaba atarihabwa kuko igihano cy’iremezo kirengeje imyaka itanu (5) amategeko ntiyemera ko gishobora gusubikwa. Incamake y’icyemezo: Ku bahamijwe icyaha cyo gucuruza urumogi, bahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya Miliyoni eshanu (5.000.000 Frw) hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha, bakajurira basaba kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano, badashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha ku buryo
kijya munsi y’igifungo cy’imyaka 15; kandi ko n’ihazabu iteganyijwe idashobora kugabanywa ngo ibe yajya munsi ya kimwe cya kane cy’ihazabu nto iteganyirijwe icyaha. Ubujurire nta shingiro. Amategeko yashingiweho: Itegeko Nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange 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 00538/2024/CA rw’Ubushinjacyaha na Cyuzuzo Jean Claude, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 21/01/2025; Urubanza RPAA 00603/2025/CA rw’Ubushinjacyaha na Mfitumukiza Théogène, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 20/01/2025. Urubanza RPAA 00237/2024/CA rw’ Ubushinjacyaha na Mukunzi Jean de Dieu, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 24/01/2025. Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] Nsengimana Emmanuel yakurikiranweho kuba ku wa 23/07/2022 saa 05h yarafatanwe urumogi boules 36 ziri mu gashashi kari muri envelope ya kaki yari yarabikije nyirabukwe, kabitse mu cyumba aho arara. Nyuma y’iperereza, yarezwe mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Muhanga mu rubanza RP 00 926/2021/TGI/ MHG rwaciwe ku wa 14/09/ 2022. [2] Muri urwo rubanza, Nsengimana Emmanuel yahamijwe icyaha cyo gucuruza ibiyobyabwenge, maze rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka 25 no gutanga ihazabu ingana na 21.000.000 Frw, ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza, maze mu rubanza RPA 00625/2022/HC/NYZ, ku wa 24/07/2025 narwo rumuhamya icyaha, rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya miriyoni eshanu (5.000.000 Frw). [3] Nsengimana Emmanuel yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, ubujurire bwe bwandikwa kuri RPAA 00860/2025/CA, iburanisha rishyirwa ku wa 09/02/2026, Nsengimana Emmanuel yitaba yunganiwe na Me Shema T. Gerald naho Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na Niyibizi Tite, Umushinjacyaha ku rwego rw’Igihugu. [4] Mu mwanzuro w’ubujurire no mu iburanisha, Nsengimana Emmanuel na Me Shema T. Gerald umwunganira nta kindi basabye, uretse kongera kugabanyiriza uwajuriye igihano, agahabwa igihano gito kiri munsi y’igito giteganywa n’itegeko no gusubikirwa ibihano. Ubushinjacyaha bwasubije ko igihano yahawe aricyo gito gishoboka hakurijwe ingingo ya 2 y’Itegeko Nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange ihindura ingingo ya 60 y’Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, akaba adashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa.
[5] Hakurikije ibisabwa na buri ruhande, hakwiye gusuzumwa niba Urukiko rushobora kugabanyiriza Nsengimana Emmanuel igihano, rukajya munsi y’igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya miriyoni eshanu (5.000.000Frw) yahanishijwe ku cyaha cyo kugurisha ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi yahamijwe ndetse niba yanasubikirwa. UKO URUKIKO RUBIBONA [6] Ikibazo cyo kugabanya igihano kubera impamvu nyoroshyacyaha mu gihe igihano cyatanzwe aricyo gito gishoboka, cyatanzweho umurongo mu rubanza RPAA 00538/2024/CA haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Cyuzuzo Jean Claude, rwaciwe ku wa 21/01/2025. Mu gika cya 12 cy’urwo rubanza, Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwemeje ko, ku bahamijwe icyaha cyo gucuruza urumogi, bahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya Miliyoni eshanu (5.000.000 Frw) hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha, bakajurira basaba kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano, badashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha ku buryo kijya munsi y’igifungo cy’imyaka 15; kandi ko n’ihazabu iteganyijwe idashobora kugabanywa ngo ibe yajya munsi ya kimwe cya kane cy’ihazabu nto iteganyirijwe icyaha. Haciwe n’izindi manza nyinshi cyane muri uwo mujyo, uruheruka akaba ari urubanza RPAA 00603/2025/CA rwaciwe ku wa 20/01/2025 haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Mfitumukiza Théogène.1 [7] Kubera izo mpamvu, uru Rukiko rurasanga ubujurire bwa Nsengimana Emmanuel nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5.000.000Frw yahawe n’Urukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza aricyo gito gishoboka ku cyaha cyo kugurisha ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi yahamijwe, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa. [8] Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rurasanga isubikagihano Nsengimana Emmanuel asaba atarihabwa kuko nk’uko byemejwe mu rubanza RPAA 00237/2024/CA rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 24/01/2025 haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Mukunzi Jean de Dieu, igihano cy’iremezo kirengeje imyaka itanu (5) amategeko ntiyemera ko gishobora gusubikwa2. II. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [9] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Nsengimana Emmanuel nta shingiro bufite; 1 Reba igika cyarwo cya 16 2 Reba igika cyarwo cya 31. Ibyemejwe muri urwo rubanza, urukiko rwabishingiye ku ngingo ya 3 y’Itegeko Nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura Itegeko N° 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 rigena ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange iteganya ko “Iyo uwakatiwe nta kindi gihano cy’igifungo kirenga amezi 6 yahanishijwe mbere, urukiko, rukoresheje icyemezo gisobanura impamvu, rushobora gutegeka gusubika irangiza ry’igihano cyose rukoresheje icyemezo gisobanura impamvu, rushobora gutegeka, gusubika irangiza ry’igihano cyose, cyangwa igice cy’igihano cy’iremezo cyangwa cy’ingereka, iyo igihano cy’iremezo cy’igifungo umuntu yakatiwe kitarenze imyaka 5.
[10] Rwemeje ko imikirize y’urubanza RPA 00625/2022/HC/NYZ, rwaciwe n’Urukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza, ku wa 24/07/2025, idahindutse mu ngingo zarwo zose; [11] Rwemeje ko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya miriyoni eshanu (5.000.000Frw) Nsengimana Emmanuel yahanishijwe mbere kigumyeho.