UWAMAHORO v. CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA
The Commercial Court of Musanze lacked territorial jurisdiction because the respondent's principal office and the relevant institution were located in Rulindo District; therefore, the judgment of the Musanze Commercial Court was nullified for lack of jurisdiction.
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- RCOMA 0351/14/HCC
- Parties
- Applicant: Uwamahoro Fabiola; Respondent: CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA
- Court
- Commercial High Court
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Judgment Date
- 26 September 2014
- Case Number
- RCOMA 0351/14/HCC
- Procedural Posture
- Commercial Appeal / Judgment on Appeal
- Outcome
- Appeal allowed; judgment of first instance set aside for lack of jurisdiction.
- Legal Topics
- Jurisdiction, Contract Enforcement, Competence of Courts, Parallel Proceedings
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Unlock the full research layer for this judgment.
Parties
Uwamahoro Fabiola
Applicant
CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Commercial Appeal / Judgment on Appeal
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the Commercial Court of Musanze had territorial jurisdiction over the dispute
- 2 Whether the existence of a parallel criminal case precludes civil proceedings on the same facts
Ratio Decidendi
The Commercial Court of Musanze lacked territorial jurisdiction because the respondent's principal office and the relevant institution were located in Rulindo District; therefore, the judgment of the Musanze Commercial Court was nullified for lack of jurisdiction.
Court Disposition
Appeal allowed; judgment of first instance set aside for lack of jurisdiction.
Orders
- The objection to territorial jurisdiction is upheld.
- The judgment of the Musanze Commercial Court is set aside as null for lack of jurisdiction.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
13 paragraphs
# UWAMAHORO v. CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA
- Source: Amategeko - Section: Decisions (Judgements) - Date: 2014-09-26 - Case/document no.: RCOMA 0351/14/HCC - Collection: Commercial High Court
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UWAMAHORO v. CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA [Rwanda URUKIKO RUKURU RW’UBUCURUZI – RCOMA 0351/14/HCC (Kibuka, P.J.,) 26/09/2014] Amategeko agenga imiburanishirize y’imanza z’ubucuruzi – Ihame ry’uko iburanisha ry’urubanza mbonezamubano rihagarara iyo hari urundi rubanza rwaregewe Urukiko nshinjabyaha kuri icyo kirego rutaraburanishwa – Umucamanza uburanisha imanza z’imbonezamubano cyangwa iz’Ubucuruzi ntahagarika iburanisha ry’urubanza uretse mu gihe ikirego cy’inshingabyaha ari icy’uwangirijwe n’icyaha waregeye indishyi mu rubanza nshinjabyaha kugirango arihwe ibye byononekaye, Itegeko nº 30/2013 ryo kuwa 24/05/2013 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha, ingingo ya 139 . Amategeko agenga ububasha bw’Inkiko – Ububasha bushingiye ku ifasi – Imanza zerekeye amasosiyeti y’ubucuruzi n’indi miryango ifite ubuzimagatozi itari iya Leta – Izo manza ziburanishirizwa mu Rukiko rwo mu ifasi irimo icyicaro cyabyo gikuru cyangwa aho ikiburanwa kiri – Itegeko ngenga no 51/2008 ryo kuwa 09/09/2008 rigena imiterere n’ububasha by’inkiko, ingingo ya 123. Incamake y’ikibazo: Uwamahoro yareze CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA mu Rukiko rw’Ubucuruzi rwa Musanze ko itubahirije amasezerano yo kugemura ibiribwa yagiranye n’ishuri ryayo ryitwa college polytechnique Urumuri. Urukiko rwemeje ko ikirego cya Uwamaho kidafite ishingiro kuri byose kuko uwasinye kuri ayo masezerano nk’muyobozi w’ishuri atari abifitiye ububasha. Uwamahoro yajuririye Urukiko Rukuru rw’Ubucuruzi avuga ko Urukiko rubanza rwirengangije ibimenyetso bigaragaza ko Kayisire Valens yari umuyobozi wa college polytechnique urumuri kandi ko yari mu kanama gatanga amasoko. Mu kwiregura, CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA yatanze inzitizi zo kutakira ikirego cya Uwamahoro kuko hari ikindi kirego yatanze mu bushinjacyaha gisa n’icyo yatanze mu nkiko z’Ubucuruzi ndetse ko Urukiko rubanza rutari rufite ububasha bushingiye ku ifasi. Uwamahoro we yavuze ko ikirego yatanze mu Nkiko z’Ubucuruzi gitandukanye n’icyatanzwe mu bushinjacyaha cyane ko ubu aregera amasezerano. Naho ku nzitizi y’iburabubasha bubasha bushingiye ku ifasi, yavuze ko yasuzumwe mu rwego rwa mbere abo baburana ntibabijuririra. Incamake y’icyemezo: 1. Umucamanza uburanisha imanza z’Ubucuruzi ntakwiye guhita ahagarika iburanisha ry’urubanza ku mpamvu z’uko hari undi rw’inshinjabyaha, uretse nu gihe ikirego cy’inshinjabyaha ari icy’uwangirijwe n’icyaha waregeye indishyi mu rubanza nshinjabyaha kugira ngo arihwe ibye byononekaye. 2. Imanza zerekeye amasosiyeti y’Ubucuruzi n’indi miryango ifite ubuzimagatozi itari iya Leta , ziburanishwa mu Rukiko rwo mu ifasi irimo icyicaro cyabyo gikuru cyangwa aho ikiburanwa kiri. Inzitizi y’iburabubasha ifite ishingiro Urubanza rwajuririwe ruteshejwe agaciro.
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Amategeko yashingiweho: Itegeko ngenga no 51/2008 ryo kuwa 09/09/2008 rigena imiterere n’ububasha by’inkiko, ingingo ya 123. Itegeko nº 30/2013 ryo kuwa 24/05/2013 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha, ingingo ya 139. Nta manza zifashishijwe. Inyandiko z’abahanga zifashishijwe : Me HADDAD Sabine, article juridique, Legavox.fr, Le criminel ne tient plus le civil en état, ou la fin d’un adage trouvé sur http://www.legavox.fr/blog/maitre-haddad-sabine/criminel-tient- plus-civil-etat. Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] Uwamahoro Fabiola yareze CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA mu Rukiko rw’Ubucuruzi rwa Musanze, ko itubahirije amasezerano yo kugemura ibiribwa yagiranye n’ishuri ryayo ryitwa Collège Polytechnique Urumuri. [2] Urwo Rukiko rwaburanishije urubanza, rwanzura rwemeza ko ikirego cya Uwamahoro Fabiola kidafite ishingiro muri byose, kuko uwasinye kuri ayo masezerano nk’umuyobozi w’ishuri atari abifitiye ububasha. [3] Uwamahoro Fabiola ntiyishimiye iyo mikirize, ayijuririra uru Rukiko ku mpamvu z’uko Urukiko rubanza rwirengagije ibimenyetso bigaragaza ko Kayisire Valens yari umuyobozi wa Collège Polytechnique Urumuri, rukirengagiza andi masezerano yasinywe n’uyu muyobozi, amafaranga akishyurwa, rukanirengagiza ibimenyetso byerekana ko ariwe KAYISIRE Valens yari mu kanama gatanga amasoko. II. ISESENGURA RY’IBIBAZO BIRI MU RUBANZA [4] CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA yiregura ibanza gutanga inzitizi ebyiri zo kutakira ubujurire bwa Uwamahoro Fabiola, iya mbere ikaba aruko yatanze ikirego nk’iki mu rubanza rw’Inshinjabyaha; iya kabiri ikaba aruko Urukiko rwaciye urubanza rujuririrwa rutari rufite ububasha bushingiye ku ifasi. A) Ku nzitizi y’uko hari urubanza rw’inshinjabyaha rurebana n’uru. [5] CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA isobanura iyi nzitizi yayo ya mbere, isaba uru Rukiko kutakira iki kirego mu bujurire kuko Uwamahoro Fabiola, aho yamenyeye ko Kayisire Valens bakoranye amasezerano aregerwa, atari umuyobozi w’Ikigo yagombaga kugemurira, yarihutiye kumurega mu bugenza cyaha, dosiye igakorwa, ijyanwa muri Parike, ikaba itegereje kuburanishwa mu Rukiko. CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA igasanga rero Uwamahoro
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Fabiola adashobora kwiyambaza Inkiko ebyiri ku kibazo kimwe, akaba agomba gutegereza urubanza nshinjabyaha, hashingiwe ku biteganijwe n’ingingo ya 139 y’Itegeko ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha, ndetse n’ihame ry’amategeko, “Le pénal tient le civil en état.” [6] Uwamahoro Fabiola yiregura kuri iyi nzitizi, avuga ko idafite ishingiro kuko ikiregerwa hano ntaho gihuriye n’urubanza rw’inshinjabyaha ruvugwa na CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA n’urwarezwemo Kayisire Valens, kandi ikiregerwa mu bucuruzi ari amasezerano Uwamahoro Fabiola yagiranye na Collège Polytechnique Urumuri, ikigo kiyobowe na CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA, na Kayisire Valens ubwe akaba yiyemerera ko yari umuyobozi wacyo. [7] Urukiko rusanga ingingo ya 139 y’ Itegeko nº 30/2013 ryo kuwa 24/05/2013 ryerekeye imiburanishirize y’imanza z’inshinjabyaha, igena ko «Uwangirijwe n’icyaha wifuza kuregera indishyi ashobora guhitamo kuregera urukiko ruburanisha imanza z’inshinjabyaha cyangwa urukiko ruburanisha imanza z’imbonezamubano. Icyakora, iyo yahisemo urukiko aregera, yaba urw’inshinjabyaha cyangwa urw’imbonezamubano, ntashobora guhindukira ngo atange na none ikirego cye mu rundi rukiko ku kirego kimwe.» Rusanga rutakwemeza ko ikirego Uwamahoro Fabiola yatanze mu rwengo rw’inshinjabyaha ari kimwe n’icyo yaregeye mu Rukiko rw’ubucuruzi, kuko CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA itarugaragariza ikiregerwa mu rubanza nshinjabyaha; na Uwamahoro Fabiola ku ruhande rwe akemeza ko hamwe yareze Nkurunziza Valens kandi mu Rukiko rw’Ubucuruzi akaba yareze CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA ukutubahiriza amasezerano. Rusanga rero iyi nzitizi idakwiye guhabwa ishingiro. [8] Urukiko runabyemeje rushimangira igitekerezo cy’umunyamategeko Sabine HADDAD, wemeza muri rusange, ko umucamanza uburanisha imanza z’imbonezamubano n’iz’ubucuruzi adakwiye gusa guhita ahagarika iburanisha ry’urubanza ku mpamvu z’uko hari urundi rw’inshinjabyaha, uretse mu gihe ikirego cy’inshinjabyaha ari icy’uwangirijwe n’icyaha waregeye indishyi mu rubanza nshinjabyaha kugira ngo arihwe ibye byononekaye, «(…) le juge civil ou commercial a le pouvoir d'apprécier le caractère sérieux de la procédure pénale engagée et n'a plus l'obligation de prononcer automatiquement un sursis à statuer, sauf dans le cas d'une action civile introduite séparément de l'action publique, ayant uniquement pour objet la réparation du dommage causé par l'infraction. Le principe du pénal qui tient le civil en l'état n'est plus automatique, il ne demeure donc que pour l'action en réparation causé par l'infraction… » Me HADDAD Sabine, Le criminel ne tient plus le civil en état, ou la fin d’un adage, article juridique, Legavox.fr, http://www.legavox.fr/blog/maitre-haddad-sabine/criminel- tient-plus-civil-etat) B) Ku nzitizi y’iburabubasha bw’Urukiko rwaciye urubanza rujuririrwa [9] CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA isobanura iyi nzitizi yayo ya kabiri, ivuga ko Urukiko rwaciye urubanza rujuririrwa, rutari rufite ububasha bushingiye ku ifasi (compétence territoriale) kuko ifite icyicaro cyayo I Rulindo, akaba ari naho ikorera ibikorwa byayo, ko rero Uwamahoro Fabiola atari kuyiregera muri urwo Rukiko rwaciye urwo rubanza, bityo n’urwo rubanza rukaba rukwiye kuvaho, no kurujuririra bikaba ari impfabusa.
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[10] Uwamahoro Fabiola yiregura kuri iyi nzitizi, avuga ko yarasuzumwe ku rwego rwa mbere bakaba batarajuririye, ko icyicaro cyayo kitari Musanze aho kuba Rulindo, ariko ntibabitangire ibimenyetso, uretse kubivuga mu magambo. [11] Urukiko, rushingiye ku biteganijwe mu ngingo ya 121 y’Itegeko-Ngenga nº 51/2008 ryo kuwa 09/09/2008 rigena imiterere, imikorere n’ububasha by’Inkiko, uko ryahinduwe rikanuzuzwa kugezubu, ingingo igena ko “Uretse mu gihe hari andi mategeko abiteganya ukundi, urukiko rw’aho uregwa atuye ni rwo rufite ububasha bwo kuburanisha urubanza. Iyo hari abaregwa benshi, urega yihitiramo urukiko rw’aho umwe muri bo atuye. Igihe aho uregwa atuye hatazwi, urubanza ruburanishwa mu rukiko rw’aho aba.” Runashingiye kuba na UWAMAHORO Fabiola nawe, uretse kuvuga gusa mu magambo ko uwo baburana abarizwa mu karere ka Musanze, ariko ntabitangire ibimenyetso; [12] Urukiko rusanga, kuba mu baburanyi ntawushidikanya ko Collège Polytechnique Urumuri ari ikigo cya CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA, kuba bigaragara mu nzandiko zose zakozwe na CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA na mbere y’uko urubanza rutangira (reba amabaruwa yirukana ku kazi Ndungutse Emmanuel, Kayisire Valens, zo kuwa 25 na 26/01/2014, zanditsweho) ko iyi CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA ibarizwa mu Karere ka Rulindo; no kuba ikimenyetso cy’imikirirze y’urubanza R Com 0166/14/TC/Nyge cyazanywe na Uwamahoro Fabiola ubwe, kigaragaza uko umuburanyi Collège Polytechnique Urumuri abarizwa mu Karere ka Rulindo. Runasanga n’amasezerano Uwamahoro Fabiola yagiranye na Collège Polytechnique Urumuri, agaragaza ko iherereye mu Karere ka Rulindo. [13] Urukiko rusanga, nk’uko biteganijwe mu ngingo ya 123 y’Itegeko-Ngenga nº 51/2008 ryo kuwa 09/09/2008 rigena imiterere, imikorere n’ububasha by’Inkiko, uko ryahinduwe rikanuzuzwa kugezubu, ingingo igena ko “Imanza zerekeye amasosiyete y’ubucuruzi n’indi miryango ifite ubuzimagatozi itari iya Leta, ziburanishirizwa mu rukiko rwo mu ifasi irimo icyicaro cyabyo gikuru, cyangwa aho ikiburanwa kiri.” No kuba Collège Polytechnique Urumuri ari ikigo cya CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA, kandi ko bigaragara ko ibarizwa mu Karere ka Rulindo, bityo ikaba igomba kuregerwa mu Rukiko rw’Ubucuruzi rufite ububasha bushingiye ku ifasi ry’Akarere ka Rulindo, arirwo Urukiko rw’Ubucuruzi rwa Nyarugenge, uko biteganijwe muri annexe y’Itegeko-Ngenga nº 51/2008 ryo kuwa 09/09/2008 rigena imiterere, imikorere n’ububasha by’Inkiko, uko ryahinduwe rikanuzuzwa kugezubu. III. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [14] Urukiko Rukuru rw’Ubucuruzi: - Rwemeye kwakira inzitizi yatanzwe na CHURCH MISSION SOS IN RWANDA y’iburabubasha bw’Urukiko rwaciye urubanza rujuririrwa, kuko yatanzwe mu buryo bwubahirije amategeko, ruyisuzumye, rusanga ifite ishingiro. - Rwemeje ko imikirize y’urubanza rwajuririwe RCOM 0143/14/TC/MUS rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubucuruzi rwa Musanze, kuwa 30/05/2014, iteshejwe agaciro kuko yaciwe n’Urukiko rudafite ububasha bushingiye ku ifasi.
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- Rukijije ko imikirize y’urubanza rwajuririwe RCOM 0143/14/TC/MUS rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubucuruzi rwa Musanze, kuwa 30/05/2014, iteshejwe agaciro. - Rutegetse ko nta zindi ngingo zigisuzumwe kubera ko urubanza rwajuririwe rutagifite agaciro.