Rwanda Case Law

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 KWISANGA

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00740/2024/CA

Confessions made during investigation retain evidentiary value unless credible evidence of duress is provided. The appellant's detailed confession and corroborating evidence support conviction for drug trafficking. Sentence reduction to 15 years is the statutory minimum for first-time offenders.

Source excerpt

• Drug trafficking
• Sentencing
• Evidentiary value of confession

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UBUSHINJACYAHA vs MUGABONAKE

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00253/2024/CA

The Court of Appeal dismissed Mugabonake Vedaste’s conviction appeal as to guilt, but reduced his sentence from life imprisonment to 25 years.

• Child defilement
• Appeal procedure
• Late grounds of appeal
• Evidentiary value of confession
• Mitigation of sentence
• Child-defilement

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UBUSHINJACYAHA v. MUGENZI

Court

Court of Appeal

Case number

RPAA 00009/2021/CA

The court found that Mugenzi Samuel's confession during investigation, corroborated by the child's testimony, medical report, and other witness statements, constituted reliable evidence. Allegations of coercion and conflicts were unsupported by any proof. The law does not require confessions to be made only in court to have evidentiary value. The appeal lacked merit and the conviction and sentence were upheld.

Source excerpt

• Child sexual abuse
• Evidentiary value of confession
• Assessment of witness credibility

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