Rwanda Case Law

UBUSHINJACYAHA v HAKORIMANA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00748/2025/CA

The appellate court held that the High Court did not err in imposing a 15-year sentence, as it exercised its discretion within the law, considering the gravity of the offence, the relationship between the accused and the victim, and the impact on the victim. The law does not require the court to follow the prosecution's sentencing request unless plea bargaining procedures are used. The sentence was sufficiently reduced for mitigating circumstances, and no legal error or abuse of discretion was shown.

Source excerpt

• Sentencing
• Mitigating circumstances
• Sexual offences
• Child protection
• Appeals

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v NDAGIJE

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RS/REV/RP 00002/2025/CA

The Court of Appeal held that a written witness statement created after the prior judgment was not new evidence and rejected the revision application.

• Revision on new evidence
• Sexual offences
• Child protection
• Criminal-procedure
• Revision-on-new-evidence
• Appellate-review

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MANIRANZI v. UBUSHINJACYAHA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00285/2025/CA

The Court of Appeal held that Maniranzi Vainqueur’s 16-year sentence for defilement of a 4-year-old child would not be further reduced and dismissed the appeal.

• Sexual offences
• Sentencing
• Mitigating circumstances
• Child protection
• Criminal-law
• Sexual-offences

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SEBANANI v. UBUSHINJACYAHA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00299/2025/CA

The Court of Appeal dismissed Sebanani Severin’s appeal against a child-defilement conviction, holding the evidence was sufficient and no forensic test on him was required.

• Sexual offences
• Child protection
• Evidence in criminal trials
• Appeals
• Criminal-law
• Sexual-offences

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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. 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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UBUSHINJACYAHA v. BYAMUNGU

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00378/2025/CA

The statutory minimum sentence for defilement followed by cohabitation with a minor is 15 years imprisonment, and courts have no discretion to reduce it further for mitigating circumstances under the current law. The appellant's sentence is already the minimum possible, and the appeal lacks merit.

Source excerpt

• Defilement
• Mitigation of sentence
• Minimum sentences
• Child protection

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v. MUTARUTINYA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA01112/2024/CA

The Court of Appeal held that a first-time admission of guilt on appeal does not justify sentence reduction and dismissed Mutarutinya Cyprien’s appeal.

• Sexual offences
• Child protection
• Appeals
• Mitigation of sentence
• Criminal-law
• Sentencing

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UBUSHINJACYAHA vs MBONIGABA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00430/2023/CA

The Court of Appeal held that an uncorroborated confession and doubtful witness evidence were insufficient to prove defilement beyond reasonable doubt.

• Evidence
• Confession
• Sexual offences
• Child protection
• Standard of proof
• Appeal procedure

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UBUSHINJACYAHA vs TWIZERIMANA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA00596/2024/CA

The Court of Appeal allowed Twizerimana Théoneste’s appeal, finding the evidence inconsistent and insufficient to prove defilement beyond reasonable doubt.

• Defilement
• Benefit of the doubt
• Burden of proof
• Child protection
• Evidence assessment
• Benefit-of-the-doubt

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