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Rwanda Criminal

Supreme Court

UBUSHINJACYAHA v RUZIGAMA

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Research organized from the available case record

Source document

01

Holding and result

The Supreme Court held that the appellant's unequivocal admission of guilt and request for forgiveness justified a reduction of the life sentence to 20 years' imprisonment, in accordance with Article 35 of Law No. 13/2004, despite the gravity of the offence.

Court disposition

Appeal allowed in part; sentence reduced

Orders

  • Appellant sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment
  • Judgment altered only as to sentence
  • Court costs to be borne by the State

02

Material facts

Parties

Ubushinjacyaha

Prosecution Counsel: NTAWANGUNDI Béatrice

Ruzigama Eugène

Appellant Counsel: Me NZAYISENGA Jean Claude

Amounts and remedies

  • Initial Sentence (life Imprisonment): 0
  • Reduced Sentence (years): 20
  • Fine Imposed by Lower Court (rwf): RWF 100,000

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Criminal Appeal / Supreme Court Final Appeal

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Whether the appellant should receive a reduced sentence due to admission of guilt and request for forgiveness

Party arguments

Applicant
Ruzigama Eugène admitted the offence, explained the circumstances, requested forgiveness, and sought a reduced sentence, arguing that his earlier denial was due to fear of retaliation from the victim's father.
Respondent
The prosecution argued that the admission of guilt was not genuine but compelled by overwhelming evidence and should not warrant mitigation.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Article 35, Law No. 13/2004 of 17/5/2004 on criminal procedure

    A judge may reduce the sentence by up to half for an accused who admits guilt, considering the gravity of the offence.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The Supreme Court held that the appellant's unequivocal admission of guilt and request for forgiveness justified a reduction of the life sentence to 20 years' imprisonment, in accordance with Article 35 of Law No. 13/2004, despite the gravity of the offence.

Court disposition

Appeal allowed in part; sentence reduced

  • Appellant sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment
  • Judgment altered only as to sentence
  • Court costs to be borne by the State

Source and reliance status

Supreme Court · 25 September 2013

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

Criminal· 25 September 2013

RPAA 0001/ 10/CS

UBUSHINJACYAHA v RUZIGAMA

- Source: Amategeko - Section: Decisions (Judgements) - Date: 2013-09-25 - Case/document no.: RPAA 0001/ 10/CS - Collection: Supreme Court

Text

Page 1

UBUSHINJACYAHA v RUZIGAMA [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’IKIRENGA – 2013SC – RPAA 0001/ 10/CS (Mugenzi PJ Hatangimbabazi na Munyangeri J.) 25 Nzeri 2013] Amategeko mpanabyaha – Gusambanya umwana – Kwemera icyaha no gusaba imbabazi ku rwego rw’ubujurire – Iitegeko n◦13/2004 ryo kuwa 17/5/2004 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha,ingingo ya 35. Incamake y’ikibazo: RUZIGAMA Eugène yakurikiranyweho icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana w’imyaka ibiri. Urubanza rwatangiriye mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rumuhamya icyo cyaha ndetse rumuhanisha igifungo cya burundu. Yajuririye mu Rukiko Rukuru narwo rutegeke uko. Yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ikirenga ariko ahindura imiburanire aho yemeye icyaha asobanura uko yagikoze nuko asaba imbabazi no kugabanyirizw igihano. Incamake y’icyemezo: Uwajuriye yagabanyirijwe igihano cy’igifungo cyaburundu gishyirwa ku myaka makumyabiri kuko yemeye icyaha akavuga uko yagikoze kandi akagisabira imbabazi. Avuga ko yasambanyije mu mabero umwana w’imyaka yavuzwe haruguru akamumenaho amsohoro. Yungamo kandi ko impamvu yatumye aburana ahakana icyaha mu nkiko zo hasi ari uko byaterwaga no gukeka ko se w’umwana yashoboraga kumurasa kuko yari umucungagereza kandi akaba ari nawe wamutwaraga mu rukiko kuburana. Hashingiwe ku buremere bw’icyaha ndetse n’ukwemera icyaha kudashidikanywaho bikozwe n’ushinjwa umucamanza ashobora guhanisha icyakabiri cy’igihano. Izi mpamvu zose

zatumye uwaburanaga agabanyirizwa igihano kivanwa ku gifungo cya burundu gishyirwan ku myaka makumyabiri y’igifungo aho kuba igifungo cya burundu nkuko byari byategetswe n’inkiko zibanza. Ubujurire bufite ishingiro Uwajuriye ahanishijwe igifungo cyimyaka 20 Urubanza rwajuririwe ruhindutse ku byerekeye ibihano gusa Amagarama y’urubanza aherereye ku isanduku ya Leta ku isanduku ya Leta. Amategeko yashingiweho Itegeko n◦13/2004 ryo kuwa 17/5/2004 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha. Nta manza zaciwe zifashishijwe

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Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] (1) Uru rubanza rwatangiriye mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Rusizi, Ubushinjacyaha burega RUZIGAMA Eugène icyaha cyo kuba yarasambanyije umwana w’imyaka ibiri y’amavuko witwa GIKUNDIRO Bonifice. [2] Urukiko rwaciye urubanza rumuhanisha igifungo cya burundu n’ihazabu y’amafaranga ibihumbi ijana rushingiye ku buhamya bwa MUKABATSINDA Petronille n’icyemezo cya Muganga kigaragaza ko umwana yahohotewe. (3) RUZIGAMA Eugène ntiyishimiye imikirize y’urubanza, arujuririra mu Rukiko Rukuru, narwo rwemeza ko igihano yahanishijwe mu Rukiko rubanza kidahindutse. [3] (4) Na none yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ikirenga agamije kurugaragariza ko yahamijwe icyaha atakoze, ariko mu iburanisha aza guhindura imiburanire ye, yemera icyaha agisabira imbabazi anasaba ko yagabanyirizwa igihano [4] (5) Urubanza rwaburanishijwe mu ruhame kuwa 23/09/2013 RUZIGAMA Eugène yunganiwe na Me NZAYISENGA Jean Claude naho Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na NTAWANGUNDI Béatrice. II. IKIBAZO KIGIZE URUBANZA N’ISESENGURA RYACYO. Kumenya niba RUZIGAMA Eugène yagabanyirizwa igihano kubera ko yemera icyaha aregwa. [5] RUZIGAMA Eugène avuga ko asaba urukiko kudaha agaciro impamvu z’ubujurire yari yatanze ahakana icyaha, ahubwo rukamuha imbabazi kandi rukamugabanyiriza igihano ngo kuko yemera icyaha aregwa. [6] Asobanura ko ku itariki ya 18/03/2006 ari ku kazi ko mu rugo, yafashe umwana w’umukobwa

w’imyaka 2 y’amavuko witwa GIKUNDIRO amusambanya mu mabero, amutaho amasohoro, abonye ko umugore witwa MUKABATSINDA wari uhaje aribubimenye agira ubwoba yirukira mu kigo cya gereza, maze baramufata bamufungira mu kasho yo muri gereza. [7] (8) Ku kibazo cyo kumenya icyamuteye mbere hose kuburana ahakana icyaha, asobanura ko kubanza kugihakana byatewe n’uko yibwiraga ko aramutse acyemeye se w’umwana ashobora kumurasa kuko yarindaga gereza ari na we umujyana kuburana mu rukiko. [8] Uhagarariye Ubushinjacyaha avuga ko ukwemera icyaha kwa RUZIGAMA Eugène kudakwiye guhabwa agaciro kubera ko atavugisha ukuri, akaba yemeye icyaha kuko abona nta kundi yabigenza kubera ko ibimenyetso bimuhamya icyaha byagaragajwe.

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Uko Urukiko rubibona. [9] Urukiko rurasanga, ubwo noneho RUZIGAMA Eugène yemera icyaha akagisabira imbabazi, akanasobanura uko yagikoze, akwiye kugabanyirizwa igihano hashingiwe ku ngingo ya 35 y’itegeko n◦13/2004 ryo kuwa 17/5/2004 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha, ryakurikizwaga igihe yakoraga icyaha aregwa, iteganya ko umucamanza ashobora kugabanyiriza igihano uregwa wemera icyaha kugeza ku cyakabiri cy’ibihano yagombaga guhabwa, ariko hatirengagijwe uburemere bw’icyaha yakoze gihano cyo gufungwa burundu yariyakatiwe n’inkiko zibanza kikaba cyahindurwamo igifungo cy’imyaka makumyabiri. III. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [10] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa RUZIGAMA Eugène bufite ishingiro. [11] Ruhanishije RUZIGAMA Eugène igifungo cy’imyaka makumyabiri. [12] Ruvuze ko urubanza rwajuririwe ruhindutse ku byerekeye ibihano. [13] Rutegetse ko amagarama y’urubanza, aherera ku Isanduku ya Leta.

[APPELLANT] v. [RESPONDENT] [Rwanda [COURT NAME] – [NEUTRAL CITATION] – [CASE NUMBER] ([Last name of presiding judge], P.J., [Last name of other judge], J.) [Month DD, YYYY]] [Catchword] – [Subject line] – [Subject line]. [Catchword] – [Subject line] – [Subject line]. Facts: [Description of the facts]. [This is a second paragraph of facts].

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Held: [Description of the decision]. [This is a second paragraph of description]. Judgment for the [appellant/respondent]. [Appeal dismissed/granted], with costs to the [appellant/respondent]. Statutes and statutory instruments referred to: [Name of the Act], [Cap. ##, ss.##] Cases referred to: [Appellant v. Respondent], [[YYYY] RLR ##]. Authors Cited Doctrines item Judgment [14] Actual text of the decision. [15] Other paragraph. [16] Example of quote: “ In this paragraph, we are introducing the first level of quote:” “ Something else. In this paragraph, we are introducing another level of quote:” “ Something else. In this paragraph, we are introducing another level of quote:” “ Something else. In this paragraph, we are introducing another level of quote:” “ Something else. This is the last level of quote.” [17] Example of bullet lists: – First level bullet: • Second level bullet: - Third level bullet: o Fourth level bullet: + Fifth level bullet. [18] Example of numbered list: 1. First level numbering: a. Second level numbering:

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i. Third level numbering: A. Fourth level numbering: I. Fifth level numbeing. Unknown type of title [19] If the style of a paragraph is not clear. In case an unknown type of paragraph is indented.

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Authorities

Authorities used by the court

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

Law No. 13/2004 of 17/5/2004 on criminal procedure, Article 35

Legislation

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