Rwanda Case Law: Decisions & Judgments | LexChat

Rwanda Case Law

Burden of proof

  • 20 Feb 2026

    PRIME INSURANCE COMPANY Ltd v SHUMBUSHO

    Citation
    RS/INJUST/RC00027/2024/SC
    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.

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

  • 16 Jan 2026

    INGUFU GIN LTD v. RWANDA REVENUE AUTHORITY

    Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwemeje ko 41.971.000 Frw yari asanzwe arasoreshejwe, ariko ko 450.114.953 Frw na 996.101.280 Frw byasoreshejwe mu buryo bukurikije amategeko.

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

  • 31 Dec 2025

    UBUSHINJACYAHA v RUTUNGA

    Citation
    RPAA/GEN 00003/2024/CA
    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.

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

  • 30 Dec 2025

    UBUSHINJACYAHA v MUKANTWARI

    Citation
    RPAA 00448/2025/CA
    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.

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

  • 30 Nov 2025

    IMIRONGO CoA - No 29 - November 2025

    Court
    Court of Appeal

    Court of Appeal digest on criminal procedure, evidence, sentencing discretion, testimony, appeals, and new evidence for retrial.

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

  • 28 Nov 2025

    HAKIZIMANA v. UBUSHINJACYAHA

    Citation
    RPAA 00264/2025/CA
    Court
    Court of Appeal
    Case number
    RPAA 00264/2025/CA

    Appeal dismissed in a child-defilement case; medical and circumstantial evidence upheld, with a 15-year prison sentence and RWF 2,000,000 damages maintained.

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

  • 28 Nov 2025

    NAEB v. RNECO LTD

    Citation
    RS/INJUST/RCOM 00019/2024/SC
    Court
    Supreme Court
    Case number
    RS/INJUST/RCOM 00019/2024/SC

    Court upheld the settlement’s interpretation but denied damages for alleged lost profits and lost opportunity because RNECO Ltd did not prove its loss.

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

  • 28 Nov 2025

    UBUSHINJACYAHA v BUJIRIRI

    Citation
    RPAA01127/2024/CA
    Court
    Court of Appeal
    Case number
    RPAA01127/2024/CA

    Appeal dismissed; conviction and 25-year sentence affirmed. The court rejected the claimed exculpatory written statement as lacking evidentiary value.

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

  • 30 Oct 2025

    UBUSHINJACYAHA v. NTAWUHIGUMUGABO

    Citation
    RPAA001331/2024/CA
    Court
    Court of Appeal
    Case number
    RPAA001331/2024/CA

    Appeal dismissed in a child sexual assault case; conviction upheld on corroborated medical, testimonial, and confession evidence.

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

  • 30 Oct 2025

    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…

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