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Rwanda decisions
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The Court of Appeal upheld Nkundabose Sébastien’s conviction for membership in a terrorist organization, rejecting his duress defense and leaving the 15-year sentence unchanged.
The Court of Appeal upheld convictions and life sentences for gang formation, robbery, assault, and murder, rejecting claims of weak evidence and coercion.
The Court of Appeal dismissed a criminal appeal against a defilement conviction, holding that the evidence was sufficient and credible despite the DNA report.
The appeal lacked merit because the conviction was based on a combination of the child victim’s testimony, corroborating statements from the mother and other witnesses, a medical report, and an apology message from the appellant. The court found no legal or factual basis to overturn the conviction, holding that the evidence was sufficient and properly assessed.
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A notarial will is invalid if secrecy is breached by disclosure to a beneficiary before the testator's death, as this contravenes the requirement for confidentiality under Rwandan succession law. In tax matters, a second audit following annulment of the first for procedural errors does not require explicit mention in the annulment decision. In criminal cases, mitigation of sentence is discretionary and must be justified by the court, which is not bound to reduce the sentence even if mitigating factors are present. Confessions and witness statements retain evidentiary value subject to judicial…
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The Court of Appeal held that witness testimony and a medical report, taken together, proved defilement of a minor and dismissed the appeal.
The Court of Appeal found no proof beyond reasonable doubt that Nshimirimana Emmanuel trafficked cannabis, allowed the appeal, quashed the conviction, and ordered his release.
The Court of Appeal found that the testimonies of the victim and witness were consistent and corroborated by the medical report, which showed physical signs of sexual assault. The defense’s alternative explanations were unsupported and contradicted by the evidence. The court held that the conviction was based on reliable, corroborated evidence and that the sentence imposed was appropriate given the gravity of the offence.
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The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and upheld a 17-year sentence for defilement, relying on the victim’s testimony, witness accounts, and medical evidence.
The court found that the combination of the defendant's confession during investigation, corroborating witness testimony, and physical evidence was sufficient to uphold the conviction for defilement of a child. The absence of forensic evidence and the relationship of witnesses to the victim did not undermine the reliability of the evidence. However, considering mitigating circumstances, including the defendant's lack of prior convictions and age, the sentence was reduced to sixteen years' imprisonment.
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