MUHANGA: Lawyer convicted of defiling a 15-year-old girl, sentenced to 15 years in prison
The High Council Court of Muhanga has convicted a lawyer who represented clients in legal cases of the crime of defiling a minor, sentencing him to 15 years in prison.
Me Boniface Kanani, who was on trial for defiling a 15-year-old girl, was handed the verdict on the evening of Tuesday, December 30, 2025.
The court ruled that the charges brought by the Prosecution had merit and also upheld the civil claim for damages filed by the victim.
In its judgment, the court found Me Boniface Kanani guilty of defilement of a minor. It also convicted Violette Mizero as an accomplice in the crime.
Me Boniface Kanani was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment, while Violette Mizero received a five-year prison sentence.
In addition, the court ordered Mei Boniface Kanani to pay compensation amounting to one million Rwandan francs (RWF 1,000,000) to the child victim.
During earlier hearings, Me Boniface Kanani had denied the charges against him. The preliminary hearing on provisional detention was marked by intense legal arguments.
These arguments arose from a request by the Prosecution to have the proceedings held behind closed doors. The defense lawyers opposed this request, arguing that no child was present in court and therefore the hearing did not warrant a closed session. However, the court ultimately upheld the Prosecution’s request and ordered the trial to be conducted in camera.
Source: umuseke
