CASE No RPAA 0039/14 / CS
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appeal, and that, in accordance with the provisions of Article 34 of Organic Law
No. 03/2012 / OL of 13/06/2012, determining the organisation, functioning and
jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, the complaint should not have been enrolled by
the Court.
The Court’s analysis
10. With regard to the admissibility of the appeal, the Court finds that there is no legal
provision that would prevent HABYARIMANA's appeal from being accepted, as
he filed it within one month in accordance Article 176 of Law No. 30/2013 of May
24, 2013 relating to the Criminal Procedure Code, and as a detainee he was
exonerated from depositing legal costs in accordance with Article 268 of Law N0
30/2013 of 24/05/2013 relating to the Criminal Procedure Code; and he complied
with other legal requirements on admissibility.
11. As to the jurisdiction of this Court over HABYARIMANA's appeal, it finds that he
was sentenced to life imprisonment by the High Court, that his appeal was
declared inadmissible, that he filed a second appeal to this Court for the purpose
of reversing the judgment, which is within the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court,
as the gravity of the sentence is a sufficient ground for appeal in accordance with
Article 28, paragraph 2 of Organic Law No. 03/2012 / OL of 13 / 06/2012 relating
to the organisation, functioning and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, which
makes his second appeal admissible in this Court, on various grounds including
the fact that the judgment under appeal passed “a sentence of life imprisonment”,
which applies to HABYARIMANA as mentioned above, in the first paragraph.
Regarding to the basis of HABYARIMANA Donatien's appeal
12. HABYARIMANA Donatien and his counsel MUSASANGOHE Illuminée submit
that HABYARIMANA was convicted without evidence, that the High Court
refused to hear the defense witnesses and paid no heed to the fact that the girl
allegedly raped was tested HIV negative whereas the suspect is HIV-positive and
did not have a trial. But they do not challenge the judgment of the High Court
declaring HABYARIMANA’s appeal inadmissible, let alone that Barrister
MUSASANGOHE admits that the decision on the application for review shall not
be subject to any procedure of appeal.
13. The Prosecution's Representative argues that HABYARIMANA should not have
asked for a review of the merits of the case given that his appeal should not be
enrolled.