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.

Physical address
26 Kivukoni Road Building P.O. Box 9004, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
65 judgments

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65 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
July 2013
Trial and subsequent appeal were null where the DPP failed to issue the mandatory transfer certificate; retrial ordered.
* Economic Crimes Act – jurisdiction – original jurisdiction vested in High Court – mandatory requirement of DPP’s certificate to transfer economic offences to subordinate courts; absence renders trial a nullity ab initio. * Appellate procedure – no automatic right to appeal conviction to Court of Appeal without first appealing to High Court. * Appellate Jurisdiction Act – Court of Appeal’s power to suo motu nullify, quash and set aside proceedings and order retrial where proceedings are jurisdictionally defective.
10 July 2013
A notice of appeal that fails to identify the High Court decision and nature of conviction is incurably defective; appeal struck out.
Criminal procedure — Notice of appeal — Rule 68(2) Court of Appeal Rules 2009 — requirement to state nature of conviction/sentence and correct High Court case number — Form B substantial compliance — incurably defective notice renders appeal incompetent and to be struck out.
1 July 2013
A notice of appeal that fails to identify the High Court case and conviction is incurably defective.
Criminal procedure – Notice of appeal – Rule 68(2) Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – mandatory requirement to state the nature of conviction/sentence and High Court cause number; defective notice citing wrong/non-existent case or omitting nature of conviction is incurably defective and renders appeal incompetent – appeal struck out; right to refile after compliance.
1 July 2013
June 2013
Revision application struck out as time-barred, improperly brought under a revoked rule, not a substitute for appeal.
Revision procedure — Rule 65 Court of Appeal Rules (2009) — 60-day time limit for party-initiated revision; Revocation of 1979 Rules (GN No.36 of 2010) — citation of revoked Rule 48 incompetent; Revision not a substitute for appeal — extension of time to appeal available.
27 June 2013
A review application must be supported by a valid affidavit; omission of place in jurat is incurable and application struck out.
* Review jurisdiction – application for review of Court of Appeal judgment – requirements under Court of Appeal Rules (1979) Rule 3(2)(a), 45 and 46. * Affidavit formalities – jurat must state place and date – Notaries Public and Commissioners for Oaths Act, s.8 – mandatory requirement. * Defective affidavit – omission of place in jurat renders affidavit incurably defective and application incompetent; no judicial discretion to waive. * Procedural consequence – defective supporting affidavit results in striking out of application.
27 June 2013
An appeal instituted out of time, with untimely request for trial records, is incompetent and struck out with costs.
Appeal procedure — Time limits — Rule 90(1) Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 — Requirement to institute appeal within sixty days; exclusion of time for obtaining High Court proceedings only where application made within thirty days — Failure to comply renders appeal incompetent and liable to be struck out with costs.
27 June 2013
An out‑of‑time revision application citing a revoked rule was struck out as incompetent; appeal or extension of time is the proper remedy.
Court of Appeal – Revision procedure – Proper invocation under Rule 65 of the Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – Sixty‑day limitation for party‑initiated revision – Revocation of Rule 48 of the 1979 Rules – Revision not an alternative to appeal.
26 June 2013
Reported
Review application struck out for multiple procedural defects including wrong rule, defective notice and time‑bar.
Court of Appeal Rules 2009 – procedural compliance – correct rule for review (Rule 66) – Notice of Motion must conform to Form A and be signed (Rule 48) – grounds for review and sixty‑day time limit (Rule 66(3)) – affidavits must show place of swearing (Notaries Public and Commissioners for Oaths Act s.8) – cumulative procedural defects render application incompetent and subject to striking out.
26 June 2013
Review application struck out for wrong rule citation, defective notice and improperly sworn affidavits.
Court of Appeal Procedure – review application – incorrect citation of obsolete Court Rules – non-conformity with Form A and unsigned Notice – failure to state grounds and filing out of time – defective affidavits lacking place of swearing – application struck out.
26 June 2013
Review application struck out for wrong rule citation, non‑conforming unsigned motion, missing grounds, defective jurat and time‑bar.
Court of Appeal procedure – review application – wrong citation of Rules (1979 v 2009) – non‑compliance with Rule 48(1)/(2) (Form A and signature) – failure to state grounds and time‑bar under Rule 66(3) – defective jurat (place omitted) – application incompetent and struck out.
26 June 2013
26 June 2013
A review application supported by an affidavit whose jurat omits the place of swearing is incurably defective and struck out.
Practice and procedure – Review of Court’s own judgment – Application supported by affidavit; jurat must state place and date (Notaries Public and Commissioners for Oaths Act s.8) – Mandatory requirement – Defective jurat renders affidavit incurably defective – Application struck out; leave to file fresh application and seek extension of time.
26 June 2013
Review application struck out for citing repealed rules, non‑compliant notice, time‑bar and defective affidavits.
Civil procedure — Review application — citation of repealed Court of Appeal Rules (1979) instead of Rules 2009 — Notice of Motion must conform to Form A and be signed (Rule 48(2)) — grounds for review and 60-day filing requirement (Rule 66(3)) — affidavits must show place of swearing (Notaries Public and Commissioners for Oaths Act s.8) — cumulative defects render application incompetent and liable to be struck out.
25 June 2013
Applicant failed to show good cause for a four-year delay and sought review grounds amounting to an appeal, so the application was dismissed.
Criminal procedure — Extension of time under Rule 10 — "Good cause" requirement — Applicant's failure to attach alleged documents and to explain prolonged delay — Review proceedings — Improper to seek reconsideration of evidence amounting to an appeal — Review is not appeal.
24 June 2013
Appeal struck out for failure to file a notice of appeal complying with Rules 68 and 75.
* Criminal procedure – Notice of appeal – Compliance with Rule 68(2) and Rule 68(7) – Requirement to state nature of appeal and offence. * Prison appellants – Rule 75/Form B/1 – deemed compliance by handing form to officer-in-charge – must include prescribed particulars. * Defective notice – consequences – appeal not instituted and liable to be struck out.
24 June 2013
Unreliable visual identification and improperly rejected alibis led to quashing of murder convictions and death sentences.
Criminal law – Visual identification evidence – necessity for "watertight" conditions and corroboration; failure to name known suspects at earliest opportunity undermines credibility; alibi defence – improper rejection where identification evidence is unreliable; conviction and mandatory death sentence quashed.
24 June 2013
High Court erred in deciding mixed fact-law issues on written submissions without evidence; judgment quashed and retrial ordered.
Civil procedure — service levy dispute — whether mixed questions of law and fact can be determined on written submissions — application of Order XVIII and Order XIV(2) of the Civil Procedure Code — absence of evidence renders judgment nullity — retrial de novo.
24 June 2013
The applicant's extension application was struck out for incurable defects in the notice of motion and wrong legal citations.
* Civil procedure – Notice of motion – Compliance with Court of Appeal Rules, Rule 48 – Notice must substantially conform to Form A and be signed – Non‑compliance is incurable. * Preliminary objection – Incorrect citation of law – Appellate Jurisdiction Act contains sections (not rules); reliance on Rule 83 (civil appeals) was irrelevant to criminal application. * Application for extension of time – incompetent and struck out where notice of motion invalid.
21 June 2013
The appellant's civil appeal was struck out for incompetence due to defective notice, non-compliant record, and absence of leave.
* Appellate jurisdiction – s.5(1)(c) A.J.A. – requirement for leave to appeal; * Civil procedure – Notice of Appeal – Rule 83(1) (civil) vs Rule 76 (criminal); * Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – Rule 96 – mandatory contents of record of appeal; * Jurisdiction – fundamental issue may be raised and decided suo motu; * Preliminary objections – service disputes irrelevant where appeal is incompetent.
21 June 2013
Defective notice failing to comply with Rules 68 and 75 renders the appellant's appeal incompetent and is struck out.
Criminal procedure — Notice of appeal — Requirements under Rule 68(2) and Rule 68(7) — Form B compliance — Appellants in custody — Rule 75 and Form B/1 — Defective notice renders appeal incompetent and liable to be struck out.
21 June 2013
A CPC suit with mixed law and fact cannot be decided on written submissions without oral evidence.
Civil procedure – Suit instituted by plaint under the Civil Procedure Code – Hearing procedure under Order XVIII requires oral evidence where factual disputes exist; Order XIV, Rule 2 cannot dispense with evidence for mixed questions of law and fact; disputed mixed issues cannot be determined on written submissions alone; procedural irregularity vitiates proceedings, judgment and decree and warrants retrial de novo.
21 June 2013
Appeal allowed: conviction quashed due to unsafe visual identification and material contradictions in prosecution witnesses' evidence.
* Criminal law – Identification evidence – Visual identification at night; Waziri Amani requirements not met. * Evidence – Credibility – Material contradictions among eyewitnesses and a written statement undermined prosecution case. * Criminal procedure – First appellate court’s duty to re-evaluate evidence and credibility on rehearing. * Evidence of persons arrested as suspects – requires caution and corroboration. * Burden of proof – Prosecution failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
21 June 2013
The appellant's murder conviction was quashed due to unreliable visual identification and contradictory prosecution witnesses.
Criminal law – murder – visual identification – dangers of nighttime identification – Waziri Amani safeguards; witness credibility – contradictions and inconsistencies; witnesses arrested as suspects requiring corroboration; appellate re-evaluation on first appeal.
21 June 2013
Extension application struck out for incurably defective notice of motion and incorrect legal citation.
Criminal procedure — extension of time — defective notice of motion; incorrect legal citation; non‑compliance with Rule 48(1) and (3) — requirement to substantially conform to Form A and to be signed — incurable defect warrants striking out application.
20 June 2013
Application for extension struck out for defective notice of motion and incorrect citation of law.
Court of Appeal Rules — Rule 48(1),(3) — notice of motion must substantially follow Form A and be signed; non-compliance is incurable; incorrect citation of statute and Rules (Appellate Jurisdiction Act; Rule 83 inapplicable to criminal matters) renders application defective.
20 June 2013
Conviction quashed where unreliable ‘last seen’ testimony and defective DNA chain of custody rendered circumstantial evidence unsafe.
* Criminal law – Circumstantial evidence – sufficiency of ‘last seen’ evidence and DNA profiling – necessity for consistency and corroboration. * Forensic evidence – DNA analysis – requirement to prove chain of custody, provenance and to tender analysed exhibits. * Evidence – assessment of witness credibility – contradictions, implausibility and effect on probative value. * Appeal – conviction unsafe where identity and evidential provenance are in doubt.
20 June 2013
A defective notice of appeal failing Rule 68 requirements renders a criminal appeal incompetent and is struck out.
Criminal procedure – Notice of appeal – Rule 68(1),(2) and 68(7) Court of Appeal Rules 2009; Form B format; notice of appeal institutes appeal; defective notice renders criminal appeal incompetent; appeal struck out.
20 June 2013
20 June 2013
A defective notice of appeal failing Rule 68 requirements renders a criminal appeal incompetent and is struck out.
Criminal appeal — Notice of appeal — Court of Appeal Rules, Rule 68(1),(2),(7) — Form B — Mandatory contents — Defective notice renders appeal incompetent and liable to be struck out.
20 June 2013
Appeal allowed where dying declaration was unreliable, uncorroborated, and conviction could not safely stand.
Criminal law – murder conviction – dying declaration (Exhibit P3) – requirement of reliability and corroboration – identification in darkness – inconsistencies between dying declaration, witness testimony, sketch plan and post‑mortem – conviction quashed.
19 June 2013
An appeal without a notice of appeal in the certified record is incompetent and is struck out, with leave to refile.
Criminal procedure — Notice of appeal — Rule 68(1) Tanzania Court of Appeal Rules 2009 — Mandatory requirement that notice be lodged and form part of certified record — Record without notice of appeal is fatally defective and appeal incompetent — Appeal struck out; liberty to refile.
19 June 2013
Appeal struck out because the mandatory Notice of Appeal was missing from the certified record; fresh appeal may be filed.
* Criminal appeals — Notice of Appeal — Rule 68(1) Tanzania Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 — mandatory requirement that a written notice be lodged with the High Court Registrar within 30 days and form part of the certified record; absence is fatal to competence of appeal. * Procedure — certified record — Court of Appeal relies on the record as certified by High Court Registrar; documents outside certified record cannot be used to validate appeal. * Remedy — missing Notice of Appeal — appeal struck out; appellant may file fresh appeal.
19 June 2013
Reported
Conviction for armed robbery quashed where identification, possession and confession evidence were unreliable and essential elements unproven.
Criminal law – armed robbery – requirement to prove violence/threat to identified victim; identification evidence – dock identification vs. identification parade; recent possession – necessity to tender and link seized property to the charge; confession of co-accused – cannot solely ground conviction (s.33(2) Evidence Act); failure of prosecution where key witnesses and exhibits absent.
18 June 2013
Review application dismissed for failing to invoke Rule 66(1) grounds and improperly re-arguing appeal issues.
Court of Appeal — Review jurisdiction — Rule 66(1) Court of Appeal Rules 2009 — Review not an appeal — Grounds for review limited (manifest error on face of record; denial of hearing; nullity; lack of jurisdiction; fraud/perjury) — Finality of judgments — Review exercised sparingly.
18 June 2013
A review application must plead Rule 66 grounds; it cannot be used to re‑argue appeal issues.
Criminal procedure — Review under Court of Appeal Rules, Rule 66 — Applicant must plead statutory grounds for review (manifest error, denial of hearing, nullity, want of jurisdiction, fraud/perjury) — Review not a vehicle to re‑argue matters decided on appeal — Public policy and finality of litigation.
18 June 2013
A defective notice of appeal that fails Rule 68(1)–(2) requirements renders a criminal appeal incompetent and is struck out.
* Criminal procedure – Notice of appeal – Requirement under Rule 68(1) and (2) – Notice must state nature of conviction/sentence and correct decision/case reference – Defective notice renders appeal incompetent and liable to be struck out.
18 June 2013
An appeal lacking a notice of appeal in the certified record is incompetent and must be struck out.
* Criminal procedure – Appeal – Rule 68(1) Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – Notice of Appeal is mandatory and must be lodged within 30 days at the High Court; must form part of the certified record; omission renders appeal incompetent and liable to be struck out; copy outside certified record is not sufficient.
18 June 2013
Review application dismissed for failing to plead Rule 66(1) grounds and improperly re-arguing appeal issues.
* Criminal procedure – Review – Application under Rule 66(1) Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – grounds required for review. * Review v Appeal – review not to be used to re-argue appeal grounds; review powers are limited and sparingly exercised. * Procedural compliance – failure to specify grounds under Rule 66(3) is fatal. * Finality of judgments – public policy favours certainty and limited scope of review.
14 June 2013
Applicant failed to account for delay and did not show the intended review relied on Rule 66(1) grounds; application dismissed.
Criminal procedure – extension of time to apply for review – applicant must account for delay and show intended review relies on Rule 66(1) grounds; defective notice may be cured by affidavit if grounds disclosed; prisoner’s ignorance is not an inevitable excuse for unexplained delay.
14 June 2013
Extension refused: applicant failed to show good cause or arguable Rule 66(1) grounds for a seven‑year delayed review.
• Civil procedure — Extension of time under Rule 10 — Good cause requires inquiry into length and reason for delay, dilatory conduct, arguable case and prejudice. • Review — Court may only review its judgment on Rule 66(1) grounds (manifest error on face of record, denial of hearing, nullity, lack of jurisdiction, fraud/perjury). • Finality/public interest — Long unexplained delays militate against reopening final judgments.
14 June 2013
Seven-year unexplained delay and absence of arguable review grounds justified refusal to extend time to apply for review.
* Civil procedure – Extension of time – Application under Rule 10 – "Good cause" assessed by length of delay, reason, arguable case and prejudice/public interest. * Review procedure – Rule 66(1) – Review limited to manifest error on record, denial of hearing, nullity, lack of jurisdiction, or judgment procured by fraud/perjury. * Delay – Inordinate and unexplained delay attributable to applicant's dilatory conduct disentitles him to extension.
14 June 2013
Extension to seek review refused for failure to show good cause and to invoke Rule 66 review grounds.
* Criminal procedure – extension of time – Rule 10 – applicant must show good cause; * Review jurisdiction – Rule 66(1) – review of Court of Appeal judgments is exceptional and limited to five grounds (manifest error on face of record; denial of hearing; nullity; lack of jurisdiction; judgment procured by fraud/perjury); * Civil procedure – Rule 48(1) – notice of motion must state grounds and affidavit may cure defects; * Abuse of process – revision filed out of time and misconceived; * Finality of litigation – public policy requires sparing use of review.
13 June 2013
Extension to apply for review refused where applicant failed to show good cause and Rule 66(1) grounds.
Civil procedure — Extension of time to seek review of Court of Appeal judgment; Rule 10, Rule 48(1), Rule 66(1) and (3) of the Court of Appeal Rules — review jurisdiction exceptional and limited to five grounds; applicant must show good cause and that intended review would be based on Rule 66(1) grounds; finality of litigation.
13 June 2013
An applicant for extension to file a review must account for delay and show the intended review satisfies Rule 66(1) grounds.
* Criminal procedure – extension of time – application for extension to file application for review – applicant must account for delay and show intended review fits Rule 66(1) grounds. * Civil procedure – notice of motion defects – omission of grounds may be cured by supporting affidavit but Rule 48(1)&(2) requirements are vital. * Prisoner litigant – ignorance of law may justify limited initial delay but does not excuse prolonged unexplained delay. * Review jurisdiction – exceptional remedy; Court will require demonstration that intended review relies on Rule 66(1) grounds.
13 June 2013
An extension under section 11 must be sought first in the High Court; unsigned, blank Notices to the Court of Appeal are incompetent.
Appellate jurisdiction – section 11 AJA – extension of time must be sought first in High Court; Court of Appeal only entertains a "second bite" after High Court refusal; Court of Appeal Rules – notices must be signed, dated, refer to the decision and cite the enabling provision; omission to cite the enabling statute is fatal.
13 June 2013
Seven-year unexplained delay and absence of arguable Rule 66(1) grounds warranted dismissal of extension application.
* Civil procedure – Extension of time – Rule 10 Court of Appeal Rules – requirement of "good cause" – factors: length and cause of delay, dilatory conduct, existence of arguable case, prejudice/public interest. * Criminal appeals – Review of Court of Appeal judgment – Rule 66(1) grounds required for review (manifest error on face of record, deprivation of hearing, nullity, lack of jurisdiction, illegality, fraud or perjury). * Public policy – finality of litigation as factor against granting extension where delay is inordinate and unexplained.
13 June 2013
Extension to seek review refused for unexplained delay, defective notice, and failure to show prima facie Rule 66 grounds.
Court of Appeal – extension of time to apply for review – Rule 10 and Rule 66(1)&(3) – review jurisdiction exceptional and limited – notice of motion must state grounds (Rule 48(1)) – applicant must show good cause and prima facie Rule 66 grounds – inordinate delay and prior misconceived application – application dismissed.
12 June 2013
An application for extension of time must first be made to the High Court and comply with Court of Appeal Rules; defective notices are struck out.
Court of Appeal procedure – extension of time – section 11 Appellate Jurisdiction Act requires initial application to High Court; procedural compliance with Court of Appeal Rules (Rule 48, Rule 10) mandatory; omission to cite enabling provision fatal – defective Notices of Motion struck out.
12 June 2013
A conviction must be entered before sentence; failure to do so is fatal and warrants quashing and remitting the record.
Criminal procedure — mandatory entry of conviction before sentence (s.235(1) Criminal Procedure Act) — sentencing without conviction fatal — appellate revisional powers (s.4(2) Appellate Jurisdiction Act) — quash and remit for proper judgment.
12 June 2013
Sentence without conviction is a fatal irregularity; identification and recent-possession evidence were inadequate, so convictions were quashed.
Criminal procedure – Requirement to enter conviction before sentence (s.235(1) CPA) – Visual identification – reliability and necessary particulars (Waziri Amani) – Doctrine of recent possession – proof of recovery and identification – Judgment nullity – Revisional powers (s.4(2) AJA).
12 June 2013