Rwanda Case Law

UBUSHINJACYAHA v. HATEGEKIMANA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00886/2024/CA

The Court held that the evidence, including the child's testimony, corroborating witnesses, and the accused's own admissions, established beyond reasonable doubt that Hategekimana Damascène committed defilement by touching the child's genitals for sexual gratification. The absence of physical injury or penetration and the intact hymen did not negate the offence. The claim of coerced confession was unsupported by evidence. The appeal was dismissed and the lower court's sentence of 15 years' imprisonment was upheld.

Source excerpt

• Defilement
• Sexual offences against children
• Evidentiary standards
• Confession under duress

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v. NSHIMIYIMANA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA01329/2024/CA

The conviction was upheld because the evidence from the accused's own statements, the victim's mother, an eyewitness, and the medical report collectively established beyond reasonable doubt that Nshimiyimana Jacques committed the offence of defilement. The court found the defence arguments unconvincing and the evidence consistent with the legal definition of the crime. However, the sentence was reduced to 18 years' imprisonment due to mitigating factors, including it being the accused's first offence and his young age at the time.

Source excerpt

• Sexual offences against children
• Assessment of evidence
• Appeals
• Sentencing

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v NDAYISHIMIYE

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00465/2025/CA

The minimum sentence for defilement of a minor under mitigating circumstances is 15 years' imprisonment, as provided by the amended law. The appellant had already received this minimum, and no further reduction is legally possible. Precedents cited by the appellant are inapplicable as they were decided under previous legal provisions that have since been amended.

Source excerpt

• Sentencing
• Mitigating circumstances
• Sexual offences against children
• Appeal procedure

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v MBABAZI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 01381/2024/CA

The conviction was upheld because the combination of medical reports confirming sexual abuse and STDs in the victims, together with consistent testimonies from the children and their parents, constituted credible and sufficient evidence. The absence of DNA or direct medical evidence linking the accused did not undermine the reliability of the other evidence. The sentence of 20 years' imprisonment was found appropriate and not subject to further reduction.

Source excerpt

• Sexual offences against children
• Evidentiary standards
• Testimony evaluation
• Medical evidence
• Appeals process

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v NKUNDABERA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 01226/2024/CA

The appellant's confession at the prosecution stage, corroborated by eyewitness testimony and consistent circumstantial evidence, established beyond reasonable doubt that he attempted to have sexual intercourse with a five-year-old child, constituting the offence of defilement under Rwandan law, regardless of the absence of physical injury in the medical report.

Source excerpt

• Sexual offences against children
• Evidentiary value of confession
• Medical evidence in sexual offences

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v KAMBARI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00866/2024/CA

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.

Source excerpt

• Sexual offences against children
• Assessment of evidence
• Standard of proof in criminal cases
• Appeals procedure

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v MUTABAZI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00941/2024/CA

The Court of Appeal held that Mutabazi Djamali’s 16-year sentence for defiling a 6-year-old child would not be further reduced, dismissing his appeal.

• Sentencing
• Mitigating circumstances
• Sexual offences against children
• Appeals
• Mitigating-circumstances
• Sexual-offences-against-children

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v. KARIKUMUTIMA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 01426/2024/CA

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.

Source excerpt

• Evidence in criminal cases
• Sexual offences against children
• Appeals procedure
• Sentencing

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UBUSHINJACYAHA vs MURWANASHYAKA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA01444/2024/CA

The Court of Appeal found that there was no sufficient and credible evidence, beyond reasonable doubt, to convict Murwanashyaka Asmani Appolinaire of defilement of a minor. The confession was not corroborated by other evidence, the child’s testimony was not supported as required by law, and the prosecution failed to provide conclusive proof. Therefore, the conviction was overturned and the accused acquitted.

Source excerpt

• Sexual offences against children
• Standard of proof
• Admissibility of confessions
• Weight of child testimony
• Appeal procedure

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v MUGENZI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00944/2024/CA

The Court of Appeal held that Mugenzi Elia’s conduct was attempted defilement of a child, not completed defilement, and reduced the sentence to 12 years and 6 months.

• Attempted crime
• Sexual offences against children
• Sentencing
• Appeal procedure
• Attempted-crime
• Child-sexual-offences

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