Rwanda Case Law

Re INGABIRE UMUHOZA (FOND)

Court

Supreme Court

Case number

RS/SPEC00001/2025/SC

Article 106 of Law No 27/2019, as amended, does not violate the Constitution. The court's power to order the prosecution to investigate persons mentioned during trial does not amount to treating them as accused, nor does it infringe on prosecutorial independence or the separation of powers. The prosecution retains discretion on whether to prosecute after investigation. The provision ensures judicial oversight and the pursuit of justice without undermining constitutional guarantees.

Source excerpt

• Separation of powers
• Presumption of innocence
• Judicial powers
• Prosecutorial independence
• Criminal investigation
• Constitutional review

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Re INGABIRE UMUHOZA (FOND)

Court

Supreme Court

Case number

RS/SPEC00001/2025/SC

Article 106 of Law No 27/2019, as amended, does not violate the Constitution. The court's power to order the prosecution to investigate individuals mentioned during trial does not amount to judicial encroachment on prosecutorial functions or breach the presumption of innocence. The judiciary does not conduct investigations or dictate prosecutorial outcomes, but acts within its constitutional mandate to ensure justice and complementarity among state organs. The provision is consistent with the separation of powers, prosecutorial independence, and the right to a fair trial.

Source excerpt

• Separation of powers
• Presumption of innocence
• Judicial powers
• Prosecutorial independence
• Criminal investigations

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NTEZIRYAYO v. UBUSHINJACYAHA

Urukiko rw'Ubujurire rwemeye ubujurire bwa Nteziryayo Damien, rusanga isaka ryakozwe nta ruhushya rw'Ubushinjacyaha ritemewe, bityo rutesha agaciro ibikomoka kuri ryo.

• Drug trafficking
• Cannabis
• Search and seizure
• Exclusion of evidence
• Illegally obtained evidence
• Appeal

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v. HABAMUNGU N’UNDI

Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwemeje ko Habamungu atagabanyirizwa ibihano kuko yari amaze guhabwa ibito ntarengwa, rugaragaza no kugabanya igihano cya Nziragira.

• Drug trafficking
• Sentence reduction
• Mitigating circumstances
• Acceptance of guilt
• Appeal against sentence
• Drug-trafficking

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Nzayisenga Emmanuel v. Ubushinjacyaha

Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwemeje ko igihano cya 15 ans n’ihazabu ya 5.000.000 Frw byahawe Nzayisenga Emmanuel ari byo byari bike bishoboka, bityo ubujurire bwe ntibwagira ishingiro.

• Drug trafficking
• Sentencing
• Mitigating circumstances
• Fine
• Appeal against sentence
• Drug-trafficking

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Tujyinama Thaddée v. Ubushinjacyaha

Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwavuze ko igifungo cy’imyaka 15 cyari cyamaze kugera ku rwego rwo hasi giteganywa n’amategeko ku cyaha cyahamijwe, bityo nta kongera kugabanyirizwa.

• Defilement of a child
• Cohabitation as husband and wife
• Mitigating circumstances
• Reduction of sentence
• Minimum sentence
• Criminal-law

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Gahozo Jean Claude v. Ubushinjacyaha

Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwemeje ko igihano cy’imyaka 15 cyari gito gishoboka ku cyaha cyo gusambanya umwana uri munsi y’imyaka 14, bityo ubujurire nta shingiro bufite.

• Sentencing
• Mitigation
• Sexual offences against a child under 14
• Appeal against sentence
• Appeal-against-sentence
• Sexual-offences-against-a-child-under-14

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v. NDUNGUTSE N’ABANDI

Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwafashe ko ubujurire bwa Nsabimana butakiriwe, Twahirwa ahamwa n’ubujura busanzwe, naho Ndungutse ahamwa n’ubujura bwitwaje intwaro ariko agabanyirizwa igihano.

• Appeal time limits
• Armed theft
• Burden of proof in criminal cases
• Sentencing discretion
• Joinder of offences
• Admissibility of supplementary submissions

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Re HABIMANA (ADD)

Court

Supreme Court

Case number

RS/INCONST/SPEC00003/2024/SC

The Organic Law No 04/2012/OL abolishing Gacaca courts is no longer in force and cannot be challenged for constitutionality. The challenge to Article 197(4) of Law No 027/2019 is admissible because the legal grounds and factual context differ from those in the Kamanzi Anaclet case, so res judicata does not apply.

Source excerpt

• Constitutionality of statutes
• Equality before the law
• Res judicata
• Access to justice
• Gacaca courts

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v NDAYISHIMIYE

Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwemeje ko inyandiko y’ivuka ari yo ishingirwaho mu kumenya imyaka, rusanga U.F. yari umwana. Ubujurire ku gihamya bwanzwe, igihano kigabanywa.

• Defilement of a child
• Proof of age of the victim
• Contradictory identity documents
• Mistake as to the victim's age
• Sentencing reduction
• Defilement-of-a-child

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