Rwanda Case Law

UBUSHINJACYAHA v UWIZEYIMANA N’ABANDI

Court

Supreme Court

Case number

RS/INJUST/RP 00004/2024/SC

The Supreme Court found that Muhire Jean Claude knowingly prepared and signed false valuation reports, Rukundo Rwigemera Prosper facilitated and participated in the forgery and solicited/received a bribe, and Uwizeyimana Marcelline gave a bribe to obtain a loan. The evidence, including witness testimony and documentary proof, established all elements of the offenses. The court applied the more lenient sentencing provisions and ordered all three to jointly compensate GT Bank for losses.

Source excerpt

• Forgery
• Corruption
• Criminal procedure
• Sentencing
• Damages

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HAKIZIMANA v. UBUSHINJACYAHA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00120/2025/CA

The appellate court held that the confession of the accused, made in the presence of counsel and corroborated by witness testimony and physical evidence, was sufficient to uphold the conviction for defilement of a minor. The court found no credible evidence of coercion and determined that the lack of forensic testing did not undermine the sufficiency of the evidence. The sentence of 15 years' imprisonment was affirmed.

Source excerpt

• Defilement of a minor
• Admissibility of confessions
• Weight of evidence
• Criminal procedure

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IMIRONGO CoA - No 29 - November 2025

Court

Court of Appeal

Digest of Court of Appeal precedents on unsigned interview records, confessions, sentencing discretion, proof, testimony, retrials, and related procedure.

• Evidence
• Appeals
• Sentencing
• Criminal procedure
• Civil procedure
• Precedent

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NTAGANZWA v. UBUSHINJACYAHA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00526/2022/CA

The appeal grounds submitted by Ntaganzwa Alphonse were filed well beyond the statutory 30-day period after the judgment copy was made available, without a legally valid justification. Therefore, the grounds are inadmissible and the prior conviction and sentence remain in force.

Source excerpt

• Sexual offences
• Child protection
• Criminal procedure
• Appeal timelines

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v. MANIRAFASHA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA00985/2024/CA-CMB RPAA01036/2024/CA

The Court of Appeal upheld cannabis trafficking convictions for Tuyisenge Solange and Manirafasha Déogratias, but reduced each fine to 5,000,000 RWF.

• Drug offences
• Criminal procedure
• Sentencing
• Evidentiary standards
• Criminal-law
• Drug-offences

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IMIRONGO Y'URUKIKO RUKURU -No 6- MATA –KAMENA 2025

Court

High Court

The High Court held that a criminal litigant cannot pursue an appeal after already seeking retrial in the same case; the first remedy used bars the other.

• Appeals procedure
• Double appeals prohibition
• Criminal procedure
• Finality of judgments
• Criminal-procedure
• Appeals-procedure

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ICYEGERANYO GIHURIZAHAMWE IMIRONGO YATANZWE N'URUKIKO RW'UBUJURIRE: NYAKANGA 2022-KAMENA2025

Court

Court of Appeal

The core holding is that the Court of Appeal's precedents from July 2022 to June 2025 establish binding interpretations on jurisdiction, procedure, evidence, remedies, and substantive law across civil, commercial, labour, administrative, insurance, family, tax, and criminal matters. Lower courts and litigants must follow these lines unless overruled or changed by law. Procedural compliance, evidentiary sufficiency, and adherence to statutory and contractual obligations are mandatory. Remedies are limited to those proven and allowed by law. Precedent is binding unless expressly overruled.

Source excerpt

• Jurisdiction
• Appeals
• Procedure
• Evidence
• Contracts
• Torts

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UBUSHINJACYAHA vs DUKUZUMUREMYI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00418/2023/CA

The Court of Appeal overturned a child-abandonment conviction, finding no legally proven parentage and insufficient evidence of the accused’s involvement.

• Child abandonment
• Parental responsibility
• Criminal procedure
• Burden of proof
• Child-abandonment
• Parental-responsibility

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PROSECUTION v. MUTIGANDA ET AL.

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPA 00103/2021/CA

The accused were properly prosecuted and convicted for membership of a terrorist group, as RNC is judicially recognized as such; Prosecutor General's authorization is not required for terrorism charges; offences of joining an irregular armed group and membership of a terrorist group cannot be cumulated; mere consent or preparatory acts suffice to consummate the offence; admissions not consistently maintained do not warrant further mitigation; sentences imposed are proportionate and not subject to suspension.

Source excerpt

• Terrorism
• Membership of terrorist group
• Irregular armed group
• Criminal procedure
• Prosecutorial competence
• Sentence mitigation

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PROSECUTION v. MUTIGANDA ET AL.

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPA 00103/2021/CA

The accused were properly prosecuted for membership of a terrorist group, as the RNC military wing is judicially recognized as a terrorist organization. Authorization from the Prosecutor General was not required for this offence. The offences of joining an irregular armed group and membership of a terrorist group cannot be cumulated; only the latter applies. The evidence, including admissions and corroborating statements, was sufficient to convict. The acts of the accused constituted consummated offences, not attempts, as consent to join suffices. Sentence mitigation was already applied; furt…

Source excerpt

• Terrorism
• Membership of terrorist group
• Irregular armed group
• Criminal procedure
• Attempt
• Sentence mitigation

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