NYIRABIGURI v. UBUSHINJACYAHA
The Court held that the 15-year imprisonment term and 5,000,000 Frw fine imposed by the High Court were already the minimum possible sentence for the offence of selling cannabis, so they could not be reduced further on mitigating grounds. The Court also held that the requested suspension was unavailable because the...
Source-derived case information.
- Parties
- Appellant: Nyirabiguri Safi; Respondent: Ubushinjacyaha
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Appeal Judgment
- Outcome
- appeal dismissed
- Legal Topics
- Drug Trafficking, Cannabis, Mitigating Circumstances, Reduction of Sentence, Suspension of Sentence
- Source Language
- rw
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Nyirabiguri Safi
Appellant
Ubushinjacyaha
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appeal Judgment
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether a sentence already reduced to the minimum allowed by law may be further reduced on appeal based on mitigating circumstances.
- 2 Whether a principal sentence exceeding five years may be suspended.
Ratio Decidendi
The Court held that the 15-year imprisonment term and 5,000,000 Frw fine imposed by the High Court were already the minimum possible sentence for the offence of selling cannabis, so they could not be reduced further on mitigating grounds. The Court also held that the requested suspension was unavailable because the principal sentence exceeded five years.
Court Disposition
appeal dismissed
Orders
- The appeal by Nyirabiguri Safi is without merit.
- The judgment in RPA 00720/2020/HC/NYZ delivered on 20/12/2023 by the High Court, Nyanza Chamber, remains unchanged in all its provisions.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
3 paragraphs
NYIRABIGURI v. UBUSHINJACYAHA [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’UBUJURIRE – RPAA 00007/2024/CA (Tugireyezu, P.J.,) 17 Gashyantare 2026] Amategeko agenga ibyaha n‘ibihano – Icyaha cyo kugurisha ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi – Gusaba kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano – Uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko, ntashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha. Incamake y’ikibazo: Nyirabiguri Safi yarezwe mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Muhanga, akurikiranweho icyaha cyo gucuruza ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi. Uru Rukiko rumuhamya icyaha cyo kugurisha ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi, maze rumuhanisha igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka makumyabiri n’itanu (25) hamwe n’ihazabu y’amafaranga miliyoni makumyabiri n’imwe (21.000.000Frw), ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza, rumugabanyiriza igihano, rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya miriyoni eshanu (5.000.000 Frw). Nyirabiguri Safi yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, asaba kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano, maze agahabwa igihano gito kiri munsi y’igito giteganywa n’itegeko kandi nacyo kigasubikwa. Ubushinjacyaha bumusubiza buvuga 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, bityo akaba adashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano, ndetse no gusubikirwa kuko igihano yahawe kirengeje imyaka itanu. Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Nyirabiguri Safi nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5.000.000Frw yahawe n’Urukiko Rukuru aricyo gito gishoboka ku cyaha yahamijwe, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa, rwemeza kandi ko isubikagihano asaba atarihabwa kuko igihano cy’iremezo kirengeje imyaka itanu (5) amategeko ntiyemera ko gishobora gusubikwa Incamake y’icyemezo: Uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko, ntashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha. Ubujurire nta shingiro bufite. 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 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] Nyirabiguri Safi yakurikiranyweho kuba ku wa 25/06/2020 yarafatanwe udupfunyika makumyabiri na dutanu yari azaniye uwitwa Ndihokubwayo Javan maze aregwa mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Muhanga, akurikiranweho icyaha cyo gucuruza ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi mu rubanza RP 00632/2020/TGI/MHG rwaciwe ku wa 30/07/2020. [2] Muri urwo rubanza, Nyirabiguri Safi yahamijwe icyaha cyo kugurisha ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi, maze rumuhanisha igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka makumyabiri n’itanu (25) hamwe n’ihazabu y’amafaranga miliyoni makumyabiri n’imwe (21.000.000Frw), ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza, maze mu rubanza RPA 00720/2020/HC/NYZ rwaciwe ku wa 20/12/2023, rumugabanyiriza igihano, rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya miriyoni eshanu (5.000.000 Frw). [3] Nyirabiguri Safi yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, ubujurire bwe bwandikwa kuri RPAA 00007/2024/CA, iburanisha rishyirwa ku wa 05/02/2026, Nyirabiguri Safi yitabye yunganiwe na Me Munini Patrick naho Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na Uwizeye Jean Marie, Umushinjacyaha ku rwego rw’Igihugu. [4] Mu mwanzuro we w’ubujurire no mu iburanisha, Nyirabiguri Safi na Me Munini Patrick umwunganira nta kindi basabye, uretse kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano, agahabwa igihano gito kiri munsi y’igito giteganywa n’itegeko kandi nacyo kigasubikwa. Ubushinjacyaha busubiza 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 igihano, ndetse no gusubikirwa kuko igihano yahawe kirengeje imyaka itanu. [5] Hakurikije ibisabwa na buri ruhande, hakwiye gusuzumwa niba Urukiko rushobora kugabanyiriza Nyirabiguri Safi 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 hamwe no kumenya niba yasubikirwa igihano. 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 no 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 Nyirabiguri Safi nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5.000.000Frw yahawe n’Urukiko Rukuru aricyo gito gishoboka ku cyaha yahamijwe, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa. [8] Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rurasanga isubikagihano Nyirabiguri Safi 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 Nyirabiguri Safi nta shingiro bufite; [10] Rwemeje ko imikirize y’urubanza RPA 00720/2020/HC/NYZ rwaciwe n’Urukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza ku wa 20/12/2023, 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) Nyirabiguri Safi yahanishijwe mbere kigumyeho. 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.