Rwanda Case Law

UBUSHINJACYAHA vs UWIZEYIMANA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00538/2023/CA

The appeal was dismissed because the evidence from the accused's confession, the victim's testimony, the mother's account, and the medical report was consistent, corroborative, and established beyond reasonable doubt that Uwizeyimana Mathias committed defilement of his 13-year-old daughter. The court found no merit in the arguments about doubtful evidence or alleged coercion, and upheld the life imprisonment sentence.

Source excerpt

• Sexual offences
• Defilement
• Domestic violence
• Standard of proof
• Admissibility of evidence

Read case analysis

UBUSHINJACYAHA v KANANI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00001/2019/CA

The court found that Kanani Eugène's actions—repeatedly striking his wife on the head with a bottle with severe force—demonstrated clear intent to kill, satisfying the elements of attempted murder of a spouse. The sentence imposed was appropriate given the gravity of the offense and prior reduction by the lower court. The appeal lacked merit.

Source excerpt

• Attempted murder
• Domestic violence
• Sentencing
• Intent to kill

Read case analysis

PROSECUTION_v_UWIZEYE_English_version_final_345261_en

Court

Supreme Court

Case number

RPA 0255/13/CS

The Supreme Court upheld a life sentence for murder, holding that the accused’s lack of remorse, the gravity of the offence, and domestic violence barred sentence reduction.

• Penalty reduction
• Domestic violence
• Murder
• Sentencing
• Violence against women
• Sentence-reduction

Read case analysis

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. PFAKUBAHA

Court

Supreme Court

Case number

RPA 0252/12/CS

The appellant's actions, including premeditation, use of a deadly weapon, and the intervention of third parties preventing the victim's death, constitute attempted murder under the law. The sentence imposed was appropriate, and neither partial admission of guilt nor intoxication justified further mitigation.

Source excerpt

• Attempted murder
• Domestic violence
• Mitigating and aggravating circumstances
• Intoxication as a defense

Read case analysis

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. MPITABAKANA_109805_kn

Court

Supreme Court

Case number

RPA0129/10/CS

The Supreme Court of Rwanda dismissed Mpitabakana’s appeal, upholding a 20-year sentence for intentionally killing his pregnant wife.

• Murder
• Mitigation of sentence
• Intent
• Domestic violence
• Criminal-law
• Sentencing-mitigation

Read case analysis