ZIHINJISHI v. SIBOMANA
- Citation
- RC 00026/2019/TGI/NYGE
- Status
- Civil
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Court
- Intermediate Court
- Decision
- 20 June 2019
- Posture
- Civil / Trial Judgment
- Case number
- RC 00026/2019/TGI/NYGE
- Language
- Kinyarwanda
More details
- Court
- Intermediate Court
- Decision
- 20 June 2019
- Posture
- Civil / Trial Judgment
- Case number
- RC 00026/2019/TGI/NYGE
- Language
- Kinyarwanda
On this page
Professional case brief
Research organized from the available case record
01
Holding and result
The court held that parties who cohabit as husband and wife without legal marriage are entitled to equal division of property acquired during their union, regardless of the circumstances of separation, based on Article 39 of Law No 59/2008. The court also held that both parents retain parental responsibilities, and the father must continue to fulfill his obligations towards the children.
Court disposition
claim allowed in part
Orders
- Property listed (two houses, cattle, furniture, five crates, one fridge, one table) to be sold and proceeds divided equally between Zihinjishi Solange and Sibomana Edouard.
- Children to continue living with their mother, Zihinjishi Solange, but the father retains parental rights and responsibilities.
- No damages awarded as none were claimed.
02
Material facts
Parties
Zihinjishi Solange
ApplicantSibomana Edouard
RespondentAmounts and remedies
- Monthly Child Maintenance Requested: RWF 50,000
03
Procedural history
Posture
Civil / Trial Judgment
04
Questions and positions
Legal issues
- 01
Whether parties cohabiting without legal marriage are entitled to equal division of property acquired during cohabitation
- 02
Whether the respondent should contribute to the maintenance of the children
Party arguments
- Applicant
- Zihinjishi argued that after cohabiting with Sibomana for 19 years without legal marriage, she is entitled to an equal share of the property acquired during their union and requested the court to order Sibomana to contribute to the children's maintenance.
- Respondent
- Sibomana admitted to the 19-year cohabitation but opposed division of property, arguing he did not expel Zihinjishi and that she refused legal marriage. He also claimed Zihinjishi took household items and that he should not be compelled to contribute to child maintenance as she left with the children.
05
Court’s reasoning
Legal principles
- 01
Article 39, Law No 59/2008 of 10/9/2008 on prevention and punishment of gender-based violence
Cohabiting partners without legal marriage have equal rights to property acquired during their union; property must be divided equally upon separation regardless of the reason for separation.
06
Ratio, limits and disposition
Ratio decidendi
The court held that parties who cohabit as husband and wife without legal marriage are entitled to equal division of property acquired during their union, regardless of the circumstances of separation, based on Article 39 of Law No 59/2008. The court also held that both parents retain parental responsibilities, and the father must continue to fulfill his obligations towards the children.
Obiter and limits
- The decision is provisional and may be revisited if new evidence of property emerges.
- The division of property does not affect the legal rights of the children.
Court disposition
claim allowed in part
- Property listed (two houses, cattle, furniture, five crates, one fridge, one table) to be sold and proceeds divided equally between Zihinjishi Solange and Sibomana Edouard.
- Children to continue living with their mother, Zihinjishi Solange, but the father retains parental rights and responsibilities.
- No damages awarded as none were claimed.
Source and reliance status
Intermediate Court · 20 June 2019
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.
Intermediate Court
Civil· 20 June 2019
ZIHINJISHI v. SIBOMANA
- Source: Amategeko - Section: Decisions (Judgements) - Date: 2019-06-20 - Case/document no.: RC 00026/2019/TGI/NYGE - Collection: Intermediate Court
Text
Page 1
ZIHINJISHI v. SIBOMANA [Rwanda URUKIKO RWISUMBUYE RWA NYARUGENGE – RC 00026/2019/TGI/NYGE (NYIRANSABIMANA, P.J.) 20 Kamena 2019] Amategeko akumira ihohoterwa rishingiye ku gitsina – Kugabana imitungo hagati y’ababanye nk’umugire n’umugabo batarashyingiranywe – umugabo n’umugore babana mu buryo budakurikije amategeko bafite uburenganzira bungana ku mutungo bashakanye. Incamake y’ikibazo: Zihinjishi na Sibomana babanye nk’umugore n’umugabo batarashyingiranywe kuva mu mwaka wa 1999, baza kurekeraho kubana bitewe n’amakimbirane yarangwaga hagati yabo. Zihinjishi yaregeye Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Nyarugenge asaba ko agabana na Sibomana imitungo bahahanye, ngo kubera ko barekeyeho kubana kubera imyitwarire itandukanye y’umugabo. Mu miburanire ye, Sibomana avuga ko badakwiye kugabana kubera ko atamwirukanye ndetse umugore ariwe wanze ko bashakana mu buryo bukurikije amategeko. Incamake y’icyemezo: Umugabo n’umugore babana mu buryo budakurikije amategeko bafite uburenganzira bungana ku mutungo bashakanye. Mu gihe umwe aretse kubana n’undi cyangwa batandukanye bitewe n’impamvu iyo ariyo yose, uwo mutungo bawugabana ku buryo bungana. Ikirego gifite ishingiro. Amategeko yashingiweho: Itegeko No 59/2008 yo kuwa 10/9/2008 rikumira kandi rihana ihohoterwa iryo ari ryo ryose rishingiye ku gitsina, ingingo ya 39, igika cya 2. Nta manza zifashishijwe. Nta nyandiko z’abahanga zakoreshejwe: Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] Uru rubanza Zihinjishi avuga ko yabanye na Sibomana Edouard mu gihe cy’imyaka 19; akaba asaba urukiko gutegeka ko bagabana imitungo bashakanye muri icyo gihe; urukiko rukanamutegeka kugira icyo azajya aha abana cyo kubatunga.
Page 2
[2] Sibomana Edouard akavuga ko yemera koko ko babanye muri icyo gihe cy’imyaka 19, ariko atemera ko bagabana imitungo avuga, kuko yagiye atamwirukanye. II. ISESENGURA RY’IBIBAZO BIGIZE URUBANZA A. Ku bijyanye no kumenya niba Zihinjsihi Solange na Sibomana Edouard bagabanywa imitungo bahahanye [3] Zihinjishi avuga ko yabanye na Sibomana Eduard nk’abashakanye mu buryo buhoraho kuva 1999, kugeza 2018, ntibigera basezerana imbere y’amategeko, kandi kuva babanye batigeze bagira amahoro mu rugo, bahoraga mu makimbirane, ibi biri no mu byatumye badasezerana, kuko yabonaga gusezerana nawe ari ugusezerana n’umuruho. Bahoraga bahagaze, inzego z’ibanze na Polisi ari zo zibizi, kugera ubwo yaje saa cyenda z’ijoro, atema urugi, ashaka Zihinjishi Solange ngo amuteme, bitewe, n’uko yamubazaga imishahara ye yahembwe avuye mu butumwa, ntahahire urugo, ntiyishyurira n’abana amashuri, no kumuhoza ku nkeke. Akaba yari umusirikari; baramusezerera kujya kubera zabukuru, amafaranga yahawe, mu rugo batigeze bamenya irengero ryayo, amubajije amubwira ko ngo ntayo yamutumye amumena ijisho, inzego z’umutekano n’iz’ibanze zibasaba ko baba ahantu hatandukanye mu nyungu z’umutekano wa buri wese. [4] Zihinjishi agakomeza avuga ko Sibomana yavugaga ko kubyara umwana w’umuhungu ukamubanza mbere, ngo ari uguhomba, ko ngo iyo atamurusha intege, aba yaramaze kumusoza, bivuze ko umuhungu we yamubereye imbogamizi,
bituma atagera ku mugambi we wo kwica Zihinjishi Solange. Ko yamutanye abana kuva tariki ya mbere z’ukwezi kwa mbere 2018 kugeza ubu, asobanura ko avuye Darefur ari bwo yashatse kumwica, ku buryo abayobozi b’inzego z’ibanze babizi; n’abaturanyi batabaraga, bakubitwaga, akaba yaravuye mu rugo n’abana; ari bo birwanaho; Sibomana Eduard akaba ataritaye no ku bana babyaranye yabaye katabirora; agasobanura ko abana bafitanye ari batatu aribo: Ivan Tumushime, wavutse 2010 afite imyaka 8, Gatete Mobarak wavutse mu 2004, afite imyaka 14 na Kwizera Pacifique wavutse mu 2000,akaba afite imyaka 18. [5] Zihinjishi agasaba urukiko kubagabanya imitungo bahahanye igizwe n’ikibanza kirimo inzu gifite UPI 1/ 03/10/01/357 giherereye mu mudugudu wa Kabagengwa, mu kagali ka Kamashashi, mu murenge wa Nyarugunga, mu karere ka Kicukiro, Umujyi wa Kigali; ikibanza kirimo inzu na annexe gifite UPI 1/03//10/01//3211 giherereye mu mudugudu wa Mukoni, akagari ka Kamashashi mu murenge wa Nyarugunga, mu karere ka Kicukiro, Umujyi wa Kigali; inka n’ iyayo, ni ukuvuga nyina n’ ikimasa. Ibikoresho byo mu rugo, n’ibikoresho byo mu gikoni bigizwe na: igitanda na matela double, matela simple 2, intebe 6 zo muri salon, ameza 2, intebe za plastiki 6, n’amakesi 10 n’amacupa yayo,frigo, akabati. [6] Sibomana Edouard akavuga ko ari byo koko babanye imyaka 19; ariko ibyo Zihinjishi asaba ntabyo yahabwa kuko yagiye
atamwirukanye; ko iyo mitungo avuga n’ubundi aho ari, ari imwe muri yo. Ko mu mwanzuro we yivugiye ko ari we wanze ko basezerana mu buryo bukurikije amategeko. Ibikoresho byo mu rugo; nk’umuntu wahukananye abana bose, nta na kimwe yasize usibye intabe n’akabati byamunaniye kubitwara. Ibibanza bibiri birimo n’inzu byo bihari, inka ari yo yashatse ikomotse kuyo yamukoye yanga ko basezerana; igitanda na matela double avuga yabijyanye, yatwaye na matelas simple ebyiri; yasize amakese atanu (5); frigo
Page 3
yapfuye. Kandi yumva atabigabana na we kuko atamwirukanye. Akumva imitungo batayigabana kandi yararangije kuyigabanya, agatwara ibikoresho bari bafite, akamusiga iheruheru, akavuga ko yatwara iyo nzu arimo n’ibikoresho yatwaye, na we akagumana iyo arimo n’udukoresho duke yasizemo. Uko urukiko rubibona [7] Ingingo ya 39al2 y’itegeko no 59/2008 yo kuwa 10/9/2008 rikumira kandi rihana ihohoterwa iryo ari ryo ryose rishingiye ku gitsina riteganya ko:” Mu gihe umwe mu babanaga nk’umugore n’umugabo batashyingiranywe mu buryo buteganywa n’amategeko yabanaga n’abagore cyangwa n’abagabo benshi, ashatse gushyingirwa n’umwe muri bo, abanza kugabana ku buryo bungana na buri wese mu bo babanaga, umutungo bari bafitanye cyangwa bahahanye mbere y’uko ashyingirwa”. Urukiko rurasanga Sibomana Edouard n’ubwo anyuzamo akavuga ko atamwirukanye, ariko adahakana ko bagaban imitungo bafitanye aho avuga ko umugore yagumana imitungo afite. Ariko ibyo avuga bitakwitabwaho kuko itegeko riteganya ko ari ukugabana ku buryo bungana imitungo bafitanye. [8] Urukiko rurasanga rero imitungo igizwe na n’ikibanza kirimo inzu gifite UPI 1/ 03/10/01/357 giherereye mu mudugudu wa Kabagengwa, mu kagali ka Kamashashi, mu murenge wa Nyarugunga, mu Karere ka Kicukiro, Umujyi wa Kigali; n’kibanza kirimo inzu na annexe gifite UPI 1/03//10/01//3211 giherereye mu mudugudu wa Mukoni, akagari ka Kamashashi; mu murenge wa
Nyarugunga, mu karere ka Kicukiro mu ntara y’Umujyi wa Kigali; inka n’ iyayo, intebe zo muri salon n’akabati, amacaisse atanu na frigo yapfuye, ameza imwe, bikagurishwa, amafaranga avuyemo bakayagabana ku buryo bungana; ku bijyanye n’ibikoresho byo mu rugo, batabyemeranwaho kandi na Zihinjishi nta kimenyatso abigaragariza, urukiko rukaba ntaho rwahera rubibaganya. Kandi iki cyemezo gihora ari icy’agateganyo, igihe cyo habonetse ikimenyatso cy’und mutungo, ubifitemo inyungu muri bo atabura kuwuregera. [9] Urukiko rurasanga ibivugwa na Sibomana ko batagabana imitungo kuko atigeze amwirukana, ibi avuga ari ukwirengagiza ko nta masezerano y’ubushyingiranywa n’ubusanzwe bafitanye, igihe cyose rero hagize ushaka kwigendera, nta kimukumira. B.Ku bijyanye no kumenya niba Sibomana Edouard yategekwa kugira icyo atanga nk’uruhare rwe mu gutunga abana. [10] Zihinjishi avuga ko Sibomana Eduard yabaye katabirora ku bijyanye n’uburere bw’abana be, bahitamo gusanga nyina; ari na we ubamenya kuri byose, bityo basaba urukiko kumutegeka gutanga buri kwezi ibihumbi 50.000 Frw yo kunganira Zihinjishi Solange, cyane ko Sibomana Eduard, abona buri kwezi amafaranga ya Pansion bityo akaba asabwa kuzuza inshingano za kibyeyi. Ariko mu kuburana akisubiraho avuga ko ibyo gutunga abana ashatse yabireka kuko n’ubundi ari we wari usanzwe ubatunga yabamutanye, ariko bakagabana indi mitungo. [11] Sibomana akavuga ko ibyo yakabaye atungisha abana; ari Zihinjishi ubyicayemo ariko amashuri ayishyura. Mu iburana akavuga ko niba abana baramunaniye, yabamuha kuko afite undi mwana yamusanganye, byongeye abatungishije umutungo we.
Page 4
Uko urukiko rubibona [12] Igika cya 3 cy’ingingo ya 39 y’itegeko rivuze hejuru iteganya ko:” igabana ry’umutungo rivugwa mu gika cya 2 cy’iyi ngingo ntirivutsa abana babyaranye uburenganzira bahabwa n’amategeko”. Urukiko rugasanga rero n’ubwo Zihinjishi na Sibomana bagabanye imitungo, ibi bidakuraho inshingano za kibyeyi bombi bafite ku bana babo. Bityo rero n’ubwo abana bari kwa Zihijishi, ariko Sibomana akomeza kubabera ise, akuzuza n’inshingano zo kubarera, kubarihira amashuri, kubavuza, kubambika n’ibindi. III. Icyemezo cy’urukiko [13] Rwemeye kwakira ikirego cyatanzwe na Zihinjishi Solange kuko cyaje mu buryo n’inzira bikurikije amategeko, rugisuzumye rusanga gifite ishingiro. [14] Rwemeje ko imitungo Zihinjishi Solange na Sibomana Edouard bashakanye mu gihe cy’imyaka 19 bayigabana ku buryo bungana, bityo ikibanza kirimo inzu gifite UPI 1/ 03/10/01/357 giherereye mu mudugudu wa Kabagengwa, mu kagali ka Kamashashi, mu murenge wa Nyarugunga, mu karere ka Kicukiro, Umujyi wa Kigali; n’ikibanza kirimo inzu na annexe gifite UPI 1/03//10/01//3211 giherereye mu mudugudu wa Mukoni, akagari ka Kamashashi, mu murenge wa Nyarugunga, mu karere ka Kicukiro; Umujyi wa Kigali; inka n’ iyayo, intebe zo muri salon n’akabati, amacaisse atanu na frigo yapfuye, ameza imwe, bikagurishwa, amafaranga avuyemo Zihinjishi Solange na Sibomana Edouard bakayagabana ku buryo bungana. [15] Rwemeje ko abana bakomeza kubana na nyina Zihinjishi Solange, ariko bidakuraho ububasha bwa kibyeyi ise abafiteho. [16] Rutegetse ko nta ndishyi zatangwa muri uru rubanza kuko ntawazisabye.
Case-aware research
Ask AI about this case
The judgment and available research above are public. New questions open in a separate private conversation grounded in this case.