The Primary Court of Gasabo on Friday, August 24, ruled that musician Jay Polly will spend five months behind bars for assaulting his wife, Shariffa Mbabazi. Jay Polly, real name Joshua Tuyishime, was recently detained for beating up his wife and breaking three of her teeth in a violent fight that ensued at the couple’s home in Remera on August 4. Prosecution requested that the rapper pay a fine of Rwf 100, 000 and be sentenced to two years in jail. The ruling, which progressed at the court premises in Kibagabaga, was attended by Mbabazi and their son, but the rapper himself did not appear. Upon his arrest, Jay Polly denied the accusations but later cooperated in a statement, explaining that he beat his wife because he was drunk, before apologising to her for what happened. There were reports that the rapper had been released in the past week after he agreed to buy Mbabazi an iPhone and ‘gold teeth’ to replace the damaged ones, but he was re-arrested. According to article148 of the Penal Code on aggravated assault and battery, any person who intentionally causes injuries to another, or beats or commits any serious acts of violence against another person, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of (6) six months to two (2) years and a fine of one hundred thousand (100,000) to five hundred thousand Rwandan francs (500,000), or one of these penalties. The court would have handed Jay Polly a two-year sentence after all the accusations by the prosecution, but reduced the sentence to five months, given that the rapper admitted to the charges and cooperated. During the past hearing, Jay Polly told the court that he wanted to be released as ‘a changed man’ so he can take care of his family, especially since he was planning to take his son to school next month. His appeal was echoed by Mbabazi, who decided to abandon the case, and instead, wrote to the court requesting for the release of her husband. However, the court rejected her request, pointing out that she was driven by emotions. The rapper was slapped with a five-month sentence, which the court believes will help him think things through and change for the better. The court also pointed out that the influence of alcohol was no excuse for the rapper to beat his wife. The New Times tried to get a comment from Mbabazi but with no success. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
