Court of Appeal of Tanzania

This is the highest level in the justice delivery system in Tanzania. The Court of Appeal draws its mandate from Article 117(1) of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania. The Court hears appeals  on both point of law and facts for cases originating from the High Court of Tanzania and Magistrates with extended jurisdiction in exercise of their original jurisdiction or appellate and revisional jurisdiction over matters originating in the District Land and Housing Tribunals, District Courts and Courts of Resident Magistrate. The Court also hears similar appeals  from quasi judicial bodies of status equivalent to that of the High Court. It  further hears appeals  on point of law against the decision of the High Court in  matters originating from Primary Courts. The Court of Appeal also exercises jurisdiction on appeals originating from the High Court of Zanzibar except for constitutional issues arising from the interpretation of the Constitution of Zanzibar and matters arising from the Kadhi Court.

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26 Kivukoni Road Building P.O. Box 9004, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
155 judgments

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155 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
December 2015
30 December 2015
Unsafe night-time identification rendered convictions unsustainable; the Court quashed sentences and ordered release of the appellants.
* Criminal procedure – Notice of appeal – each appellant must file or be specifically named in a notice of appeal; a notice filed by one appellant does not institute appeal for others. * Evidence – Visual identification – where identification occurs at night under unfavourable conditions, visual ID is weak and unsafe; convictions based solely on such ID are unsafe. * Appellate powers – section 4(2) Appellate Jurisdiction Act – Court may nullify proceedings and set aside convictions/sentences where conviction is unsustainable.
30 December 2015
Night-time visual identification was unsafe; convictions and sentences were quashed and appellants ordered released.
* Criminal procedure – Appeal – Requirement that each appellant must institute appeal by filing a notice of appeal. * Criminal law – Visual identification – Night-time identification unreliable; convictions unsafe where identification not watertight (Waziri principles). * Appellate jurisdiction – Use of section 4(2) Appellate Jurisdiction Act to nullify proceedings and set aside convictions/sentences.
30 December 2015
Application for security for costs struck out for failing to cite Rule 120(3); Rule 4 inapplicable.
Security for costs – application for deposit of security – correct enabling provision is Rule 120(3) of the Court of Appeal Rules; non‑citation of the applicable rule is a fundamental defect justifying striking out; Rule 4 inapplicable where specific rule exists; Court of Appeal not an executing court.
23 December 2015
An application to lift a garnishee order is in effect a stay of execution and wrong citation renders it incompetent.
Execution procedure – Garnishee order nisi under Order XXI r.45(1)(c) is part of execution; lifting it equates to stay of execution – Wrong or non‑citation of specific enabling rule (Rule 11(2)) renders application incompetent.
23 December 2015
A 19‑year delay and mere evidentiary complaints did not establish good cause to extend time for review.
* Criminal procedure – Application for extension of time to file review – Rule 10 requires good cause and factual account of delay; must account for each day. * Review under Rule 66(1) limited to: manifest error on face of record; deprivation of hearing; nullity; lack of jurisdiction; judgment procured by fraud or perjury. * Evidentiary disagreements and challenges to concurrent findings of fact are not grounds for review and may constitute abuse of process. * Long inordinate delay (19 years) militates against granting extension.
16 December 2015
A 19‑year unexplained delay and improper review grounds do not justify extension of time to seek review.
* Civil procedure – Extension of time – Rule 10 requires showing good cause and accounting for every day of delay. * Criminal procedure – Review applications – Permissible grounds under Rule 66(1): manifest error on face of record, denial of hearing, nullity, lack of jurisdiction, fraud or perjury. * Review limitation – Re‑evaluation of evidence is not a proper ground for review and may amount to abuse of process. * Delay – Inordinate delay (19 years) unexplained is fatal to an extension application.
16 December 2015
The appellant's failure to file mandatory written submissions under Rule 106(1) rendered the appeal unmaintainable.
* Civil procedure – Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – Rule 106(1) mandatory requirement to file written submissions within sixty days – consequences of non-compliance. * Civil procedure – Judicial discretion under Rules 106(9) and 106(19) – exceptional circumstances required to grant relief for late filing. * Court's duty under Rule 2 to pursue substantive justice does not permit overriding mandatory procedural requirements without sufficient justification.
16 December 2015
Failure to file written submissions under Rule 106(1) rendered the appeal not maintainable and it was struck out.
* Civil procedure — Court of Appeal Rules, Rule 106(1) — mandatory duty to file written submissions within 60 days; non‑compliance may render appeal not maintainable. * Civil procedure — discretion under Rule 106(9)/(19) — conditions for allowing late filing or dismissing appeal; exercise depends on circumstances. * Court Rules — Rule 2 (substantive justice) cannot be used to circumvent mandatory procedural requirements.
16 December 2015
Failure to file mandatory written submissions under Rule 106(1) renders an appeal unmaintainable and liable to be struck out.
* Court of Appeal procedure – Rule 106(1) mandatory requirement to file written submissions within sixty days; * Discretion under Rule 106(9) and (19) – extension of time requires material/exceptional circumstances; * Rule 2 (substantive justice) cannot be used to override clear mandatory procedural requirements; * Failure to comply with Rule 106(1) may render appeal unmaintainable and liable to be struck out.
16 December 2015
Proceeding with a preliminary hearing without admitting or acting on a mental hospital report breached section 220 and warranted revision.
Criminal procedure – insanity inquiries – preliminary hearing – requirement to admit medical report and make findings under section 220(3)-(4) CPA – failure to comply an irregularity – revisional powers under section 4(3) AJA – quash and remit.
16 December 2015
Proceeding with a preliminary hearing without admitting a required medical report under s.220 warranted quashing and remittal.
Criminal Procedure Act, s.220(1),(3),(4) – detention for medical examination – requirement to admit medical report and make findings on insanity; Appellate Jurisdiction Act, s.4(3) – revisional powers to quash and remit where statutory procedures not followed; irregularity in proceeding with preliminary hearing without medical report.
16 December 2015
Court: counsel’s illness/overcommitment may justify extension but not waiver of written submissions requirement.
Civil procedure — Court of Appeal Rules, r.106(1) & (19) — requirement to file written submissions — illness/overcommitment of counsel as good cause for extension but not as exceptional circumstances to waive filing; amendment/supplement of record of appeal; r.63(2) — determination in absence of respondent's counsel.
16 December 2015
Deponent competent under Rule 49(1), but failure to provide mandatory security under Rule 11(2)(d)(iii) defeats stay application.
Court of Appeal — stay of execution — Rule 11(2)(d) Court of Appeal Rules 2009 — conditions for stay (substantial loss; no unreasonable delay; security) are conjunctive — Rule 49(1) permits any person with knowledge to swear supporting affidavits — locus standi of deponent — corporate appearance provisions (Rule 30(3)) not determinative of competency to depose.
16 December 2015
Applicant failed to show good cause for delayed service of a notice of appeal; application dismissed with costs.
* Civil procedure – Extension of time under Rule 10 – requirement to show good cause; sufficiency of efforts to effect service; service of Notice of Appeal under Rule 84(1); non‑compliance with Rule 48(1) and affidavit concerns – abuse of court process.
16 December 2015
Extension of time to seek review refused for unexplained long delay, lack of good cause and no arguable grounds.
Criminal procedure — extension of time to apply for review — Rule 10 — requirement of good cause — necessity to plead grounds under Rule 66(1) — mere dissatisfaction insufficient — factors: length of delay, reasons, arguable case, prejudice.
16 December 2015
Application for extension of time to seek review dismissed for inordinate delay, lack of good cause and absence of arguable grounds.
Criminal procedure – extension of time – Rule 10: requirement to show "good cause"; Review jurisdiction – limited to grounds in Rule 66(1); Mere dissatisfaction with a Court of Appeal judgment not a basis for review; Constitutional complaint (article 13(6)) cannot substitute for Rule 66(1) grounds; Considerations when exercising discretion: length of delay, reasons for delay, arguable case, prejudice to respondent.
16 December 2015
14 December 2015
14 December 2015
11 December 2015
Failure to furnish mandatory security under Rule 11(2)(d) mandates dismissal of a stay application despite a competent deponent.
Civil procedure – stay of execution – Court of Appeal Rules 2009 r.11(2)(d) – preconditions for stay are cumulative and mandatory; r.49(1) – affidavits by any person with knowledge competent; r.30(3) (corporate appearance) not applicable to affidavit competency; security requirement fatal if not met.
11 December 2015
The applicant's revision was struck out for failure to attach the required lower court proceedings and ruling, rendering the application incompetent.
* Revision jurisdiction – statutory and procedural requirements – necessity of attaching copies of lower court proceedings, rulings and extracted orders when applying under s.4(3) AJA and rule 65(1). * Civil procedure – competence of application – incomplete record renders revision application incompetent and liable to be struck out. * Procedural defects – non-joinder and existence of pending proceedings raised but not determined once decisive defect established.
10 December 2015
Unsanctioned unsworn testimony expunged; single, inadequately-supported visual identification found unsafe, conviction quashed.
Criminal law – admissibility of evidence – unsworn evidence of adult witness – breach of s.198(1) CPA; Visual identification – Waziri Amani safeguards – need for particulars on light intensity, distance, duration, lamp positioning and room size; Failure to name suspect at earliest opportunity undermines reliability of identification; Second appeal intervention where facts were misapprehended.
10 December 2015
Unsatisfactory night-time identification and unsworn witness testimony rendered the applicant's conviction unsafe; appeal allowed.
* Criminal procedure – evidence—oath/affirmation – failure to take oath/affirmation renders adult witness evidence inadmissible (s.198(1) CPA). * Evidence – visual identification – night-time identification requires detailed proof of lighting, distance, duration and conditions (Waziri Amani guidelines). * Evidence – credibility – failure to name a known suspect at the earliest opportunity undermines reliability of identification. * Appeals – second appeal intervention warranted where lower courts misappreciated the quality of evidence leading to unsafe conviction.
10 December 2015
10 December 2015
Applicant granted 30 days to apply for stay of execution after showing good cause for delay.
Extension of time – stay of execution – Rule 10 Court of Appeal Rules and s.14 Limitation Act – timely steps in lodging appeal – Registrar's return for lack of respondent's physical address – refusal of former advocates to accept service – good cause shown.
10 December 2015
Applicant granted 30-day extension to seek stay of execution after procedural service and endorsement delays.
Civil procedure — Extension of time to apply for stay of execution — Good cause — Registrar’s non-endorsement of motion and counsel’s refusal to accept service constituting excuse for delay — Costs to abide outcome of stay application.
10 December 2015
10 December 2015
10 December 2015
An appeal was struck out for failure to file written submissions as required by Rule 106(1).
* Civil procedure – Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – Rule 106(1) – mandatory requirement to file written submissions within 60 days – failure to comply renders appeal not maintainable; discretion under Rule 106(9)/(19) requires material or exceptional circumstances; Rule 2 (substantive justice) cannot be used to override mandatory procedural requirements.
8 December 2015
7 December 2015
7 December 2015
2 December 2015
November 2015
Appellant's armed robbery conviction upheld: eyewitness credibility and recent possession corroboration overcome defective exhibit tendering.
Criminal law – armed robbery; visual identification at night; recent possession; eyewitness credibility; corroboration by arresting officers; common intention; defective tendering of exhibits.
27 November 2015
The applicant was granted extension to seek revision after lack of notice and alleged illegality in the High Court judgment.
Civil procedure — Extension of time to file application for revision; delay attributable to lack of notice; right to be heard (Constitutional protection); alleged illegality in impugned judgment as ground for extension; Rule 10 and Rule 65(4) Court of Appeal Rules 2009.
27 November 2015
Extension of time granted where government only learned of judgment and attachment after execution, invoking right to be heard and alleged illegality.
Extension of time – sufficient cause – late awareness of suit and execution – right to be heard – alleged illegality of judgment – application for revision.
27 November 2015
24 November 2015
24 November 2015
Application for security for costs struck out for citing Rule 4 instead of specific Rule 120(3), with costs.
Security for costs – deposit of decretal amount – Required citation of Rule 120(3) of the Court of Appeal Rules – General Rule 4 inapplicable where specific rule exists – Non‑citation renders application incompetent – Appellate court not an executing court.
23 November 2015
Suo motu revision upheld; defective execution and failure to publish sale rendered property sale void ab initio.
Appellate jurisdiction and revision — suo motu revision under s.4(3) AJA; exercisable where appeal right blocked by judicial process or for sufficient reasons; Civil Procedure — execution of decrees (Order XXI CPC): mandatory requirements for prohibition/attachment orders, proclamations and publication of sale; failure to comply renders sale void ab initio; executing court may stay execution where sufficient cause exists.
18 November 2015
A notice of appeal bearing a date different from the judgment renders the notice defective and the appeal incompetent.
* Civil procedure – Appeal – Notice of appeal – Form D and Rule 83 require the date of the decision to be stated. * Civil procedure – Appeal – Mandatory documents – Rule 96(1)(j) – defective notice vitiates the record of appeal. * Appeals – Competence – Incorrect date on notice of appeal renders appeal incompetent and liable to be struck out. * Procedural irregularity – Court may raise defects suo motu; costs may be withheld where defect is court-identified.
18 November 2015
Filing at the wrong registry without prejudice does not render an application incompetent; transfer to the correct registry ordered.
* Civil procedure – Court of Appeal Rules 2009 – Rule 51(1) (registry for filing) – non‑compliance not fatal where no prejudice and Registrar accepted filing. * Civil procedure – Rule 16(1) – Registrar’s discretion to permit filing elsewhere. * Civil procedure – Rule 48(1) – affidavit support of notice of motion – no requirement that each applicant must depose affidavits. * Civil procedure – Preliminary objections – issues requiring evidence (e.g., deponent authority) are not properly raised by preliminary objection.
18 November 2015
17 November 2015
Execution application dismissed for failing to prove the immovable properties were registered in the judgment debtor's name.
Execution — Attachment of immovable property — Order XXI Rules 12 & 15 CPC — requirement of title particulars and official search — cannot attach property registered in third parties' names — photocopy of title insufficient without recent official search.
16 November 2015
Application for stay was time‑barred; proviso to Rule 90(1) does not extend time for stay applications.
Civil procedure — Stay of execution — Rule 11(2)(c) and Rule 90(1) — sixty‑day limitation — proviso to Rule 90(1) not applicable to stay applications; remedy is extension of time if out of time.
16 November 2015
12 November 2015
Applicant failed to account for unexplained delay; extension of time refused and application dismissed.
* Civil procedure – Extension of time – Rule 10 Court of Appeal Rules – good cause requirement and duty to account for each day of delay. * Civil procedure – Written submissions – Rule 106(9) – Court’s discretion to waive late or missing written submissions in the interest of justice. * Civil procedure – Change of advocates/neglect of counsel – such factors do not automatically constitute good cause without a diligent account of delay.
10 November 2015
A notice of appeal stating the wrong judgment date renders the record defective and the appeal incompetent.
* Civil procedure – Appeal – Notice of appeal – Form D of the Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 requires the notice to show the date of the decision appealed – Incorrect date renders notice defective and vitiates the record of appeal – Defective record renders appeal incompetent. * Court discretion on costs where defect raised suo motu.
10 November 2015
9 November 2015
Applicant failed to account for each day of delay; extension of time and restoration were refused.
Civil procedure – restoration of dismissed application – Rule 63(1),(3),(4) – restoration within thirty days – extension of time under Rule 10 – applicant must account for each day of delay.
6 November 2015