UBUSHINJACYAHA v. MUKANDANYUZWE
The Court held that the 15-year imprisonment term and 5,000,000Frw fine imposed by the High Court were the minimum lawful penalties available for the offence, so they could not be further reduced or removed; the appeal was therefore unfounded.
Source-derived case information.
- Parties
- Appellant/respondent: UBUSHINJACYAHA; Respondent/appellant: MUKANDANYUZWE Jamila
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Appeal to the Court of Appeal
- Outcome
- appeal dismissed
- Legal Topics
- Drug Offences, Sentencing, Mitigating Circumstances, Fine Reduction, Appeal
- Source Language
- rw
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
UBUSHINJACYAHA
Appellant/respondent
MUKANDANYUZWE Jamila
Respondent/appellant
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appeal to the Court of Appeal
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the sentence imposed for the proved drug offence could be further reduced on appeal on the basis of mitigating circumstances.
- 2 Whether the fine imposed could be removed because the appellant claimed inability to pay.
Ratio Decidendi
The Court held that the 15-year imprisonment term and 5,000,000Frw fine imposed by the High Court were the minimum lawful penalties available for the offence, so they could not be further reduced or removed; the appeal was therefore unfounded.
Court Disposition
appeal dismissed
Orders
- The appeal of Mukandanyuzwe Jamila is dismissed as unfounded.
- The judgment in RPA01598/2021/HC/RWG of 20/08/2024 remains unchanged in all its parts.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
3 paragraphs
UBUSHINJACYAHA v. MUKANDANYUZWE [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’UBUJURIRE – RPAA01260/2024/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: Mukandanyuzwe yarezwe mu Rukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Ngoma nyuma yo gufatanwa udupfunyika 95 tw’urumogi avuye kurangura, maze Ubushinjacyaha bumusabira guhamwa n’icyaha cyo gutunda, kubika no gucuruza ibiyobyabwenge. Urukiko rwamuhamije icyaha, ahanishwa igifungo cy’imyaka 25 n’ihazabu 30,000,000Frw. Urega yajuririye Urukiko Rukuru, urugereko rwa Rwamagana rumuhamya icyo cyaha ariko ruhindura ibihano, ahanishwa igifungo cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5,000,000Frw. Iki cyemezo yakijuririye muri uru Rukiko rw’Ubujurire asaba kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano agahabwa igihano gito, ngo kuko yemeye icyaha mu nzego zose, asaba imbabazi ndetse akaba yarasize abana mu rugo, asaba kandi ko yakurirwaho ihazabu yaciwe kuko atashobora kuyishyura. 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 N° 68/2018 ryo kuwa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n'ibihano muri rusange nk’uko ryahinduwe kugeza ubu, ingingo ya 263. Imanza zifashishijwe: RPAA00688/2024/CA, Ubushinjacyaha v. Bazizane Rosette rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 18/11/2025. RPAA01273/2024/CA, Ubushinjacyaha v. Ndikubwimana Jean Damascene rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 18/07/2025. RPAA00769/2024/CA, Ubushinjacyaha v. Bizabarimana Cléophas rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 27/05/2025. RPAA00538/2024/CA, Ubushinjacyaha v. Cyuzuzo Jean Claude rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 21/01/2025. RPAA00048/2020/CA, Ubushinjacyaha v. Bimenyimana Jean Paul rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 26/05/2022. Urubanza
I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] Mukandanyuzwe Jamila ku wa 24/10/2021 yafatanwe udupfunyika mirongo icyenda na dutanu (95) tw’urumogi yari avuye kurangura, akurikiranwaho ibyaha byo gutunda, kubika no gucuruza ibiyobyabwenge, aregerwa Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Ngoma mu rubanza RP 01517/2021/TGI/NGOM. [2] Muri urwo rubanza rwaciwe ku wa 23/11/2021, yahamwe n’ibyo byaha ahanishwa igifungo cy’imyaka makumyabiri n’itanu (25) n’ihazabu ya miliyoni mirongo itatu (30,000,000Frw), ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru, ruhindura gusa igihano, rumuhanisha gufungwa cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5,000,000Frw. [3] Mukandanyuzwe Jamila yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, ubujurire bwe bwandikwa kuri RPAA01260/2024/CA, iburanishwa rishyirwa ku wa 23/02/2026, uregwa yitaba yunganiwe na Me Sebazungu Catherine, naho Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na Sibomana Stanislas, Umushinjacyaha ku rwego rw’Igihugu). [4] Mu mwanzuro we w’ubujurire no mu iburanisha Mukandanyuzwe Jamila nta kindi yasabye uretse kongera kugabanyirizwa igihano, agahabwa igihano gito kuko yemeye icyaha mu nzego zose, asaba imbabazi ndetse akaba yarasize abana mu rugo. Anasaba no gukurirwaho ihazabu yaciwe kuko atashobora kuyishyura. [5] Umwunganira avuga ko igihano Mukandanyuzwe Jamila yahanishijwe ari cyo gito gishoboka giteganywa n’Itegeko, bityo ko amategeko yubahirijwe. [6] Uhagarariye Ubushinjacyaha avuga ko igihano Mukandanyuzwe Jamila yahawe aricyo gito gishoboka hakurijwe 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 rusange, akaba adashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa. UKO URUKIKO RUBIBONA [7] 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 ku cyaha cyamuhamye cyo gucuruza Ibiyobyabwenge by’urumogi, yajuririye Urukiko rw’Ubujurire asaba ko yakongera kugabanyirizwa igihano. Uru Rukiko rwemeje (mu gika cya 12 cy’urwo rubanza) 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 Paul1, 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 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 Rukiko2. 1 Uru rubanza mu gika cyarwo cya 26 rwasobanuye ibijyanye n’uko Umurongo wari uriho udashobora gukurikizwa mu gihe itegeko wari ushingiyeho ryavuyeho cyangwa ryahinduwe. 2 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.
[8] Rushingiye kuri uwo murongo, Urukiko rurasanga ubujurire bwa Mukandanyuzwe Jamila nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 n’ihazabu ya 5,000,000Frw yahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru aricyo gito gishoboka ku byaha yahamijwe, kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa ndetse n’iyo hazabu ikaba idashobora kuvanwaho. II. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [9] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Mukandanyuzwe Jamila nta shingiro bufite. [10] Rwemeje ko imikirize y’urubanza RPA01598/2021/HC/RWG rwaciwe n’Urukiko Rukuru, Urugereko rwa Rwamagana ku wa 20/08/2024 idahindutse mu ngingo zarwo zose. [11] Rwemeje ko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) n’ihazabu y’amafaranga miliyoni eshanu (5,000,000Frw) Mukandanyuzwe Jamila yahanishijwe kigumyeho.