CASE RPA 0120/15 / HC / MUS
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8. Article 190 of Organic Law Nº 01/2012 / OL of 02/05/2012 establishing the Penal
Code states that child defilement means any sexual intercourse or any sexual act with
a child regardless of the form or means used. The meaning of this article is different
from the definition of rape of an adult person defined by Article 196 of the above
Organic Law Rape as causing another person to engage in a non-consensual sexual
intercourse by using force, threat or trickery.
9. It appears that child defilement occurs when the victim is a child before the age of 18
regardless of consent or trickery by the child. In the same line, legal experts such as
General LIKULYA Bolongo have explained that a child under the age of majority
cannot make an informed decision. He stated that,”is considered to be sex with
violence the mere fact of rapprochement of sex with a girl aged or apparently aged 16
years, on the grounds that a girl of that age is incapable of giving free and informed
consent.” (Général LIKULYA BOLONGO, droit pénal zaïrois, LGDJ, Paris 1976, P
112).
10. The Court finds that the grounds given by KAREMERA Valens that his sentence
should be reduced because he had consensual sex with the girl who tricked him are
unfounded because a child under the age of 18 cannot make an informed consent.
Therefore, KAREMERA Valens could no longer have his sentence reduced because
the High Court had reduced his sentence in accordance with Articles 77 and 78 of
Organic Law Nº 01/2012 / OL of 02/05/2012 establishing the Penal Code.
III. COURT DECISION
11. DECLARES that the appeal filed by KAREMERA Valens is unfounded.
12. DECLARES that the judgment No. RP 0055/15 / TGI / MUS passed by the Musanze
High Court on 23/03/2015 is unchanged.
13. ORDERS that KAREMERA Valens be exempted from paying the costs of the
proceedings because he is in custody.
ISSUED AND READ IN PUBLIC ON 23/10/2015.
JUDGE
BADARA Léonidas
REGISTRAR
NSANZITEGEKO Venant