A report by Rwanda’s Judiciary shows that cases involving offences that affect Rwandan society continued to increase during the 2025/26 judicial year, with 13,998 cases registered compared with 12,443 in 2024/25, representing a 12% increase.
Drug-related cases rose by 6%, from 5,590 in 2024/25 to 5,979 in 2025/26.
Of these, 5,661 cases involved offences related to possessing, consuming, drinking, injecting, inhaling or applying drugs, as well as producing, cultivating, processing, transporting, storing, supplying or selling them.
The report also recorded 24 cases involving facilitating another person’s use of drugs or substances used as drugs.
Gender-based violence cases rise
Cases of gender-based violence increased significantly, rising from 3,887 in 2024/25 to 5,231 in 2025/26, representing a 35% increase.
Harassment between spouses was the most common offence in this category, with 1,218 cases.
It was followed by cases involving forcing another person to engage in sexual intercourse, with 412 cases, while 26 cases involved adultery.
Economic crimes also increase
Cases involving offences that undermine the national economy rose from 942 in 2024/25 to 1,036 in 2025/26, an increase of 10%.
Embezzlement accounted for the largest number, with 470 cases, while 385 cases involved soliciting, receiving or offering bribes.
The report also recorded 154 cases involving the counterfeiting, alteration or distribution of currency and related instruments. Another 83 cases involved issuing dishonoured cheques, while 22 cases involved the illegal trading or exchange of currency.
Genocide-related cases rise
Cases involving genocide and genocide-related offences increased from 849 in 2024/25 to 919 in 2025/26, representing an 8% increase.
Abuse of survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi accounted for the largest number of cases in this category, with 464.
The Judiciary also recorded 161 cases involving the concealment or destruction of evidence or information related to the Genocide, 116 cases involving genocide denial or minimisation, 100 cases involving genocide ideology and 40 cases involving justification of genocide.
Some categories decline
While several categories recorded increases, others declined.
Human trafficking cases fell by 100%, from two cases in 2024/25 to none in 2025/26.
Cases involving children accused of offences also declined by 29%, falling from 1,173 in 2024/25 to 833 in 2025/26.
Overall, the Judiciary’s figures show that cases involving drug-related offences, gender-based violence and economic crimes increased during the 2025/26 judicial year, while human trafficking and cases involving children accused of offences recorded declines.
