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Rwanda Criminal

Supreme Court

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. Sgt SAFARI

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Research organized from the available case record

Source document

01

Holding and result

The Supreme Court held that, according to Law No. 21/2012, appeals against decisions on recusal of judges are only admissible when joined with appeals on the merits of the case. Since Sgt Safari Kodo appealed the recusal decision independently, the appeal was inadmissible.

Court disposition

Appeal dismissed as inadmissible

Orders

  • The appeal by Sgt Safari Kodo is not received.
  • Court costs are to be borne by the State.

02

Material facts

Parties

Ubushinjacyaha

Prosecution Counsel: Major Rutagarama Jean Claude

Sgt Safari Kodo

Defendant Counsel: Me Biraro Fischer

Amounts and remedies

  • Court Costs: RWF 0

03

Procedural history

  1. Posture

    Criminal Appeal / Supreme Court Appellate Review of Interlocutory Decision

04

Questions and positions

Legal issues

Whether an appeal against a decision on recusal of a judge can be received independently before the main case is decided

Party arguments

Applicant
Sgt Safari Kodo argued that the judge who had previously decided on his provisional detention should recuse himself from the bench hearing the merits, as prior involvement compromised impartiality. He appealed the decision rejecting his recusal request, seeking immediate review.
Respondent
The prosecution argued that, under the applicable procedural law, decisions on recusal must be appealed together with the judgment on the merits, not separately. Therefore, the appeal was inadmissible.

05

Court’s reasoning

  1. 01

    Law No. 21/2012 of 14/06/2012, Articles 1, 103(1º,3º), and 105

    Decisions on recusal of judges must be appealed together with the main judgment, not independently.

06

Ratio, limits and disposition

Ratio decidendi

The Supreme Court held that, according to Law No. 21/2012, appeals against decisions on recusal of judges are only admissible when joined with appeals on the merits of the case. Since Sgt Safari Kodo appealed the recusal decision independently, the appeal was inadmissible.

Court disposition

Appeal dismissed as inadmissible

  • The appeal by Sgt Safari Kodo is not received.
  • Court costs are to be borne by the State.

Source and reliance status

Supreme Court · 18 March 2016

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Judgment reading view

Judgment text

The complete available source text.

Source document

Supreme Court

Criminal· 18 March 2016

RPAA 0080/14/CS

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. Sgt SAFARI

- Source: Amategeko - Section: Decisions (Judgements) - Date: 2016-03-18 - Case/document no.: RPAA 0080/14/CS - Collection: Supreme Court

Text

Page 1

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. Sgt SAFARI [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’IKIRENGA – RPAA 0080/14/CS (Mugenzi, PJ, Mutashya na Gatete, J.) 18/3/2016] Amategeko agenga imiburanishirize y’imanza Nshinjabyaha – Kujuririra icyemezo cy’ubwihane bw’umucamanza – izo manza zitegereza imanza z’ibanze zikomokaho zikajuririrwa – Itegeko nº 21/2012 ryo ku wa 14/06/2012 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’imbonezamubano, iz’ ubucuruzi, iz’ umurimo n’iz’ ubutegetsi, Ingingo ya 105 Incamake y’ikibazo: Urubanza rwatangiriye mu Rukiko rwa Gisirikare, Ubushinjacyaha burega uregwa kuba yarasambanyije mu bihe bitandukanye umwana umugore we yabyaranye n’undi mugabo akamuzana iwe akamurera. Urukiko rwa Gisirikare rwaciye urubanza rwemeza ko uregwa adahamwa n’icyaha akurikiranyweho, ko agizwe umwere. Ubushinjacyaha ntibwishimiye icyo cyemezo, bukijuririra mu Rukiko Rukuru rwa Gisirikare. Mu iburanisha ry’urubanza, uregwa yandikiye Perezida w’Urukiko Rukuru rwa Gisirikare amumenyesha ko yihannye umwe mu bacamanza bagize inteko imuburanisha, kuko yafashe icyemezo ku bijyanye n’ifunga n’ifungura ry’ agateganyo, ko rero atakomeza kumuburanisha kandi yaramenye urubanza mbere. Urukiko Rukuru rwa Gisirikare rwafashe icyemezo ku bwihane bwasabwe n’uregwa rwemeza ko nta shingiro bufite kubera ko, kuba umwe mu bagize inteko yarafashe icyemezo ku bijyanye n’ifunga n’ifungurwa ry’ agateganyo rye, bitavuze ko hari icyo yavuze cyangwa

inama yatanze ku rubanza mu mizi. Uregwa yajuririye icyo cyemezo mu Rukiko rw’ Ikirenga avuga ko kuba umucamanza yarafashe icyemezo kimufunga by’agateganyo, bihagije ko yikura mu rubanza kuko adashobora kuburanisha urubanza kandi yaragize icyo aruvugaho. Uhagarariye Ubushinjacyaha Bukuru bwa Gisirikare, avuga ko asanga ubujurire bw‘ uregwa budakwiriye kwakirwa, kubera ko imanza zemeza ko ubwihane bufite cyangwa budafite ishingiro, zijuririrwa hamwe n’urubanza mu mizi. Incamake y’icyemezo: Kujuririra icyemezo cy’ubwihane bw’umucamanza bigomba gutegereza imanza z’ibanze zikomokaho zikajuririrwa. Ubujurire ntibwakiriwe. Amagarama aherereye ku isanduku ya Leta. Amategeko yashingiweho: Itegeko nº 21/2012 ryo ku wa 14/06/2012 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’imbonezamubano, iz’ ubucuruzi, iz’ umurimo n’iz’ ubutegetsi, Ingingo za, 1, 103 (1º,3º) na 105 Nta manza zifashishijwe. I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA.

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[1] Uru rubanza rwatangiriye mu Rukiko rwa Gisirikare, Ubushinjacyaha burega Sgt Safari Kodo kuba yarasambanyije mu bihe bitandukanye umwana witwa M S w’imyaka 8 y’amavuko, uwo mwana akaba ari uw’ umugore we yabyaranye n’undi mugabo amuzana iwe aramurera. Urukiko rwa Gisirikare rwaciye urubanza rwemeza ko Sgt Safari Kodo adahamwa n’icyaha akurikiranyweho, ko agizwe umwere. [2] Ubushinjacyaha ntibwishimiye icyo cyemezo, bukijuririra mu Rukiko Rukuru rwa Gisirikare. Mu iburanisha ry’ urubanza, Sgt Safari Kodo yandikiye Perezida w’Urukiko Rukuru rwa Gisirikare amumenyesha ko yihannye umwe mu bacamanza bagize inteko imuburanisha, avuga ko yafashe icyemezo ku bijyanye n’ifunga n’ifungura ry’ agateganyo ko rero atakomeza kumuburanisha kandi yaramenye urubanza mbere. [3] Urukiko Rukuru rwa Gisirikare rwafashe icyemezo ku bwihane bwasabwe na Sgt Safari Kodo rwemeza ko nta shingiro bufite kubera ko, kuba umwe mu bagize inteko yarafashe icyemezo ku bijyanye n’ifunga n’ifungurwa ry’ agateganyo rye, bitavuze ko hari icyo yavuze cyangwa inama yatanze ku rubanza mu mizi, bityo ko kwihana umucamanza asaba nta shingiro bifite, rutegeka ko iburanisha rigomba kuzakomeza ku wa 27/07/2015. [4] Sgt Safari Kodo yajuririye icyo cyemezo mu Rukiko rw’ Ikirenga avuga ko kuba umucamanza Major Bernard Hategekimana yarafashe icyemezo kimufunga by’agateganyo, bihagije ko yikura mu rubanza kuko adashobora

kuburanisha urubanza kandi yaragize icyo aruvugaho cyangwa yararutanzeho inama mbere, ko rero atagombaga kuba mu bagize inteko imuburanisha mu Rukiko Rukuru rwa Gisirikare. [5] Iburanisha ry’urubanza ryabaye ku wa 15/2/2016, Sgt Safari Kodo yitabye kandi yunganiwe na Me Biraro Fischer, Ubushinjacyaha bwa Gisirikare buhagarariwe na Major Rutagarama Jean Claude. [6] Mbere y’uko iburanisha ritangira uhagarariye Ubushinjacyaha yatanze inzitizi asaba ko ubujurire bwa Sgt Safari Kodo butagomba kwakirwa kubera ko urubanza rubanziriza urundi ku nzitizi ijyanye no kwihana umucamanza ari urubanza rudashobora kujuririrwa rwonyine, ko rugomba kujuririrwa hamwe n’urubanza rw’ibanze, ibyo abivuga ashingiye ku ngingo ya 103 n’iya 105 z’Itegeko Nº 21/2012 ryo ku wa 14/06/2012 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’imbonezamubano, iz’ubucuruzi, iz’umurimo n’iz’ubutegetsi. Urukiko rwemeje ko iyo nzitizi ariyo igomba kubanza gusuzumwa. IKIBAZO KIGIZE URUBANZA N’ISESENGURA RYACYO.  Kumenya niba ubujurire bwa Sgt SAFARI KODO ku rubanza rwaciwe ku nzitizi yatanze ijyanye no kwihana umucamanza bushobora kwakirwa. [7] Uhagarariye Ubushinjacyaha Bukuru bwa Gisirikare mu myanzuro ye isubiza ubujurire bwa Sgt Safari Kodo, avuga ko ashingiye ku ngingo ya 103 n’iya 105 z’ Itegeko Nº 21/2012 ryo ku wa 14/06/2012 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’imbonezamubano, iz’ubucuruzi, iz’umurimo n’iz’ubutegetsi, asanga ubujurire bwa Sgt Safari Kodo budakwiriye kwakirwa, kubera ko hakurikijwe ibiteganywa n’izo ngingo, imanza zemeza ko ubwihane bufite cyangwa budafite ishingiro, zijuririrwa hamwe n’urubanza mu mizi.

Page 3

[8] Me Biraro Fischer uburanira Sgt Safari Kodo avuga ko icyo asaba ari uko urubanza rwakwihutishwa, inzitizi igafatwaho icyemezo, ko kandi icyemezo kizafatwa n’Urukiko azacyemera we n’uwo yunganira.

UKO URUKIKO RUBIBONA [9] Ingingo ya 103, igika cya 1 n’icya 3 y’Itegeko nº 21/2012 ryo ku wa 14/06/2012 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’imbonezamubano, iz’ ubucuruzi, iz’ umurimo n’iz’ ubutegetsi iteganya ko :” Urukiko umucamanza wihanwe arimo, rusuzuma ako kanya niba ubwo bwihane bushobora kwakirwa. Iyo rusanze ubwo bwihane budashobora kwakirwa, urubanza rurakomeza” naho ingingo ya 105 y’iryo Tegeko igateganya ko: “Imanza zemeza ko ubwihane budashobora kwakirwa cyangwa ko budafite ishingiro zijuririrwa hamwe n’urubanza rw’ibanze”. [10] Urukiko rurasanga hakurikijwe ingingo ya 11 y’Itegeko nº 21/2012 ryo ku wa 14/06/2012 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’imbonezamubano, iz’ubucuruzi, iz’umurimo n’iz’ubutegetsi, iryo hame ari naryo ryubahirizwa mu manza z’inshinjabyaha kuko imiburanishirize y’ubwihane idateganyijwe muri izo manza. [11] Urukiko rurasanga, hashingiwe ku ngingo ya 1 n’iya105 z’Itegeko N° 21/2012 ryo kuwa 14/06/2012 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’imbonezamubano, iz’ubucuruzi, iz’umurimo n’iz’ubutegetsi rimaze kuvugwa mu gika kibanziriza iki, ubujurire bwa Sgt Safari Kodo budashobora kwakirwa kubera ko yajuririye urubanza rwanze ubwihane yari yasabye rwonyine, mu gihe bene izo manza zigomba gutegereza imanza z’ibanze ziba zikomokaho zikajuririrwa hamwe nk’ uko biteganywa n’izo ngingo zimaze kuvugwa. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [12] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa

Sgt Safari Kodo butakiriwe; [13] Rutegetse ko amagarama y’ urubanza aherera ku Isanduku ya Leta . 1 Iyo ngingo igira iti: “Iri tegeko rigenga imiburanishirize y’imanza z’imbonezamubano, iz’ubucuruzi, iz’umurimo n’iz’ubutegetsi. Ni naryo rigenga imiburanishirize y’izindi manza mu gihe nta yandi mategeko yihariye agenga iyo miburanishirize yindi, keretse mu gihe amahame ateganywa n’iri tegeko adashobora gukoreshwa mu zindi manza.

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Law No. 21/2012 of 14/06/2012, Articles 1, 103(1º,3º), 105

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