UBUSHINJACYAHA v. HABIMANA Rudomoro
The Court held that Habimana Rudomoro had already received the lowest possible sentence for the offence he was convicted of—15 years' imprisonment and a fine of 5,000,000 Frw—and that these penalties could not be reduced further. Accordingly, the appeal lacked merit.
Source-derived case information.
- Parties
- Appellant/respondent: UBUSHINJACYAHA; Respondent/appellant: HABIMANA Rudomoro
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Second Appeal Before Urukiko Rw'ubujurire
- Outcome
- appeal dismissed
- Legal Topics
- Mitigating Circumstances, Sentence Reduction, Cannabis Trafficking, Fine Reduction, Minimum Sentence
- Source Language
- rw
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
UBUSHINJACYAHA
Appellant/respondent
HABIMANA Rudomoro
Respondent/appellant
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Second Appeal Before Urukiko Rw'ubujurire
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether a sentence imposed for trafficking cannabis could be further reduced below the statutory minimum on the basis of mitigating circumstances.
- 2 Whether the fine could be reduced below one quarter of the minimum fine provided by law.
- 3 Whether the appeal had merit in light of the applicable amendments to the law on offences and penalties.
Ratio Decidendi
The Court held that Habimana Rudomoro had already received the lowest possible sentence for the offence he was convicted of—15 years' imprisonment and a fine of 5,000,000 Frw—and that these penalties could not be reduced further. Accordingly, the appeal lacked merit.
Court Disposition
appeal dismissed
Orders
- The appeal by Habimana Rudomoro is declared without merit.
- No change is made to judgment RPA00367/2021/HC/NYZ of 21/11/2024.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
3 paragraphs
UBUSHINJACYAHA v. HABIMANA Rudomoro [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’UBUJURIRE – RPAA01347/2024/CA (Nyirandabaruta, J. P.) 26 Gashyantare 2026] Amategeko agenga imanza nshinjabyaha – Igabanyagihano – Icyaha gihanishwa igifungo cya burundu ntigishobora kugabanyirizwa igihano hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha ku buryo kijya munsi y’igifungo cy’imyaka 15; kandi n’ihazabu iteganyijwe ntishobora kugabanywa ngo ibe yajya munsi ya kimwe cya kane cy’ihazabu nto iteganyirijwe icyaha cyakozwe. Incamake y’ikibazo: Habimana Rudomoro yafatanywe udupfunyika 73 tw’urumogi, arafatwa, akurikiranwa n’Ubushinjacyaha bumurega mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Muhanga icyaha cyo gucuruza ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi. Icyaha cyaramuhamye ahanishwa igifungu cy’imyaka 25 n’ihazabu ya 20,000,100Frw, ariko yahise ajuririra Urukiko Rukuru, urugereko rwa Nyanza rumugabanyiriza ibihano ahanishwa gufungwa imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5.000.000Frw. Urega yajuririye bwa kabiri muri uru Rukiko rw’Ubujurire avuga ko yongeye kujurira kugira ngo agabanyirizwe igihano kuko atigeze agabanyirizwa mu buryo buhagije, asaba ko yahabwa igihano gito kiri munsi y’igiteganywa n’itegeko. Ubushinjacyaha bwasubije ubujurire bw’Uregwa buvuga ko igihano yahawe aricyo gihano gito gishoboka ku cyaha aregwa cyo gucuruza ibiyobyabwenge byo mu bwoko bw’urumogi, bityo ubujurire bwe nta shingiro bufite. Incamake y’icyemezo: Icyaha gihanishwa igifungo cya burundu ntigishobora kugabanyirizwa igihano hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha ku buryo kijya munsi y’igifungo cy’imyaka 15; kandi n’ihazabu iteganyijwe ntishobora kugabanywa ngo ibe yajya munsi ya kimwe cya kane cy’ihazabu nto iteganyirijwe icyaha cyakozwe. Ubujurire nta shingiro bufite. Amategeko yashingiweho: 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, ingingo ya 2. Itegeko Nº 69/2019 ryo ku wa 08/11/2019 rihindura Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, ingingo ya 11. Imanza zifashishijwe: RPAA00538/2024/CA, Ubushinjacyaha v. Cyuzuzo Jean Claude rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 21/01/2025. RPAA00463/2023/CA, Ubushinjacyaha v. Muhoza Aniceth rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 27/01/2023. RPAA00048/2020/CA, Ubushinjacyaha v. Bimenyimana Jean Paul rwaciye n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 26/05/2022. Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA
[1] Ku wa 21/02/2020 Habimana Rudomoro yafatanwe mu Mudugudu wa Rubumba, Akagari ka Ruyenzi, mu Murenge wa Runda, Akarere ka Kamonyi, afatanwa udupfunyika mirongo irindwi na dutatu (73) tw’urumogi yacuruzaga.Ubushinjacyaha bwamuregeye Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Muhanga bumukurikiranyeho icyaha cyo gucuruza ibiyobyabwenge cyo mu bwoko bw’urumogi. [2] Urwo Rukiko rwaciye urubanza RP00256/2021/TGI/MHG ku wa 10/03/2020, rwemeza ko Habimana Rudomoro ahamwa n’icyaha aregwa, rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka 25 n’izahubu ya 20,000,100Frw, ajurirara mu Rukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza, mu rubanza RPA00367/2021/HC/NYZ rwaciwe ku wa 21/11/2024, narwo rumuhamya icyo cyaha, ariko rumubaganyiriza igihano, rumuhanisha igifungo cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5.000.000Frw. [3] Habimana Rudomoro yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, ubujurire bwe bwandikwa kuri RPAA01347/2024/CA, urubanza ruburanishwa mu ruhame ku wa 23/02/2026, yunganiwe na Me Shema Gérald naho Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na Sibomana Stanslas, Umushinjacyaha ku rwego rw’Igihugu. [4] Mu mwanzuro w’ubujurire no mu miburanire ye Habimana Rudomoro avuga ko yongeye kujurira kugira ngo agabanyirizwe igihano kuko atakiganyirijwe mu buryo buhagije. Asaba ko yahabwa igihano gito kiri munsi y’igiteganywa n’itegeko nk’uko byagenze mu rubanza RPAA00463/2023/CA rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 27/01/2023 haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Muhoza Aniceth. Me Shema Gerald umwunganira avuga ko Habimana Rudomoro atakamba asaba kugabanyirizwa igihano; asaba Urukiko guhuza ibyo asaba n’ibiteganywa n’igingo ya 2 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; ko itegeko risobanutse kandi n’imanza zaciwe zihari, ko rwabisuzuma mu bushishozi bwarwo. [5] Uhagarariye Ubushinjacyaha avuga ko igihano Habimana Rudomoro yahawe aricyo gito gishoboka, hakurikijwe Ingingo ya 2 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 rusange1, bityo ko ubujurire bwe nta shingiro bufite. UKO URUKIKO RUBIBONA [6] Ikibazo cyo kugabanya igihano kubera impamvu nyoroshyacyaha mu gihe igihano cyatanzwe aricyo gito gishoboka, cyatanzweho umurongo mu rubanza RPAA00538/2024/CA rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 21/01/2025 haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Cyuzuzo Jean Claude. Muri urwo rubanza Cyuzuzo Jean Claude wahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru igihano igifungo cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5,000,000Frw kubera icyaha cyamuhamye cyo gucuruza Ibiyobyabwenge by’urumogi, yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ubujurire asaba ko yakongera kugabanyirizwa igihano. Uru Rukiko mu gika cya 12 cy’urwo rubanza, rwemeje ko mu manza zitandukanye zaciwe ku bahamijwe icyaha cyo gucuruza urumogi bahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5.000.000Frw hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha, bakajurira basaba kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano, uru Rukiko rwifashishije ibyemejwe mu rubanza RPAA00048/2020/CA rwaciye ku wa 26/05/2022 haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Bimenyimana Jean Paul2, rwemeje ko imanza zose zaciwe mbere y’uko itegeko Nº 59/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura ingingo ya 60 y’Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange yateganyaga uburyo bwo kugabanya ibihano risohoka, zitagikoreshwa, maze rwemeza ko icyaha gihanishwa igifungo cya burundu kidashobora kugabanyirizwa igihano hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha ku buryo kijya munsi 1Ingingo ya 2, (a) na (d) y’Itegeko Nº 59/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura ingingo ya 60 y’Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, iteganya ko (a) iyo umucamanza yemeje impamvu nyoroshyacyaha, igifungo cya burundu gishobora kugabanywa ariko ntikijye munsi y’igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15. Iyi ngingo ya 2 agace ka (d) iteganya ko igihano cy’ihazabu gishobora kugabanywa kugeza kuri kimwe cya kane cy’igihano cy’ihazabu gito giteganyirijwe icyaha cyakozwe. 2 Uru rubanza mu gika cyarwo cya 26 rwasobanuye ibijyanye n’uko Umurongo wari uriho udashobora gukurikizwa mu gihe itegeko wari ushingiyeho ryavuyeho cyangwa ryahinduwe.
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. Uyu murongo wakoreshejwe mu zindi manza nyinshi zaciwe n’uru Rukiko3. [7] Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rushingiye kuri uwo murongo, rurasanga urubanza RPAA00463/2023/CA rwaciwe ku wa 27/01/2023, rw’Ubushinjacyaha na Muhoza Aniceth, Habimana Rudomoro ashingiraho asaba guhabwa igihano kiri munsi y’igihano gito giteganywa n’Itegeko rutagikoreshwa kuko rwaciwe mbere y’uko Itegeko Nº 59/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange ritangazwa kandi runyuranyije naryo. [8] Rurasanga rero ubujurire bwa Habimana Rudomoro nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5.000.000Frw yahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru, ari cyo gito gishoboka ku cyaha yahamijwe, ubundi gihanishwa igifungo cya burundu, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa. II. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [9] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Habimana Rudomoro nta shingiro bufite. [10] Rwemeje ko nta gihindutse ku mikirize y’urubanza RPA00367/2021/HC/NYZ rwaciwe n’Urukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Nyanza ku wa 21/11/2024. [11] Rutegetse ko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu ya miliyoni eshanu (5,000,000Frw) Habimana Rudomoro yahanishijwe kigumyeho. 3 Urugero: urubanza RPAA00769/2024/CA, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 27/05/2025, haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Bizabarimana Cléophas (igika cya 30); urubanza RPAA01273/2024/CA, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 18/07/2025, Ubushinjacyaha buburana na Ndikubwimana Jean Damascene (igika cya 10); urubanza RPAA00688/2024/CA, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 18/11/2025, haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Bazizane Rosette (igika cya 15) n’izindi.