Rwanda Case Law

PRIME INSURANCE COMPANY Ltd v SHUMBUSHO

Court

Supreme Court

Case number

RS/INJUST/RC00027/2024/SC

Shumbusho Dan complied with statutory requirements by submitting a complete dossier including the police accident report and seeking settlement in good faith. Prime Insurance Company Ltd failed to demonstrate procedural irregularity or lack of evidence. Damages were correctly calculated based on Supreme Court precedent for professional motorcycle taxi drivers. The request for review based on alleged injustice was unfounded.

Source excerpt

• Motor vehicle accident compensation
• Procedural requirements for claims
• Quantification of damages
• Burden of proof

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INGUFU GIN LTD v. RWANDA REVENUE AUTHORITY

Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwatesheje agaciro umusoro kuri 41.971.000 Frw, rwemeza ko wari washatsewa umusoro mbere; rwemeza ariko ko 450.114.953 Frw na 996.101.280 Frw bigomba gusoreshwa.

• Burden of proof
• Income tax
• Value added tax
• Excise duty
• Tax assessment
• Accounting evidence

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v RUTUNGA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA/GEN 00003/2024/CA

Dr. Rutunga Venant knowingly provided essential assistance to gendarmes who, together with interahamwe, committed mass killings of Tutsi civilians at ISAR-Rubona. His actions constituted material and intentional complicity in genocide and extermination as a crime against humanity. The High Court's reduction of sentence was justified by his cooperation and lack of prior convictions, despite aggravating circumstances. Both appeals lacked merit; the conviction and 20-year sentence stand.

Source excerpt

• Complicity
• Genocide
• Crimes against humanity
• Sentencing
• Burden of proof
• Appeals

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v MUKANTWARI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00448/2025/CA

The appellate court held that the appellant's confession during investigation, corroborated by evidence, established her guilt for trafficking and selling cannabis. Her subsequent denial in court did not outweigh the probative value of her earlier statements. The court found no basis to reclassify the offence or further reduce the sentence, as the lower court had already applied mitigating circumstances appropriately. The appeal was dismissed and the prior judgment affirmed.

Source excerpt

• Drug trafficking
• Burden of proof
• Evidentiary value of confessions
• Judicial discretion in sentencing

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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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HAKIZIMANA v. UBUSHINJACYAHA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00264/2025/CA

The Court of Appeal dismissed Hakizimana’s appeal against a 15-year sentence for defilement of a minor, upholding the medical and circumstantial evidence and damages award.

• Defilement of a minor
• Standards of proof
• Medical evidence
• Burden of proof
• Sexual offences
• Damages to victim

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NAEB v. RNECO LTD

Court

Supreme Court

Case number

RS/INJUST/RCOM 00019/2024/SC

The Supreme Court held that RNECO Ltd proved no compensable loss from NAEB’s failure to sign a new cooperation agreement, so claimed damages were denied.

• Breach of contract
• Interpretation of contract clauses
• Damages for lost opportunity
• Burden of proof
• Contract-law
• Commercial-law

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v BUJIRIRI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA01127/2024/CA

The Court of Appeal dismissed a criminal appeal, upholding a 25-year sentence for attempted murder and rejecting a claimed exculpatory written statement.

• Attempted murder
• Admissibility of evidence
• Appellate review
• Written testimony
• Burden of proof
• Attempted-murder

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v. NTAWUHIGUMUGABO

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA001331/2024/CA

The Court of Appeal upheld a 20-year sentence for child sexual assault, finding the medical report, witness evidence, and the accused’s initial confession corroborated each other.

• Sexual assault
• Child protection
• Admissibility of evidence
• Burden of proof
• Criminal-law
• Evidence-law

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IMIRONGO CoA - No 28 September - October 2025

Court

Court of Appeal

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…

Source excerpt

• Wills and succession
• Tax appeals
• Criminal sentencing
• Appeals procedure
• Evidence assessment
• Mitigating circumstances

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