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.
360 judgments

Court registries

  • Filters
  • Judges
  • Labels
  • Outcomes
  • Topics
  • Alphabet
Sort by:
360 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
December 2016
Trial court's failure to convict before sentencing invalidated the judgment; record remitted for proper conviction and sentencing.
* Criminal procedure – requirement to enter conviction before sentence – omission renders judgment invalid (s.219 Criminal Procedure Act). * Court of Appeal Rules – prisoner’s notice of appeal must comply with Rule 75(1)/Form B/1; non‑compliance renders appeal incompetent. * Appellate revisional jurisdiction – Court may refrain from striking out an incompetent appeal and invoke s.4(2) Appellate Jurisdiction Act to correct manifest illegality. * Remedy – quash appellate proceedings founded on invalid judgment; remit for proper conviction and sentencing, with credit for time served.
5 December 2016
A trial court's failure to enter conviction before sentencing invalidates the judgment; Court may revise despite an incompetent notice.
* Criminal procedure – Requirement to enter conviction before passing sentence – Non-compliance with s.219 Criminal Procedure Act renders judgment invalid. * Appeals – Notice of appeal from prison – Rule 75(1)/Form B/1 compliance mandatory; omission renders notice incurably defective. * Appellate jurisdiction – Court of Appeal may retain incompetent appeals and invoke revisional powers under s.4(2) AJA to correct manifest illegalities on record. * Remedy – Quash High Court proceedings, set aside sentence, remit record for conviction and resentencing with credit for time served.
2 December 2016
November 2016
A notice of appeal containing contradictory dates is an incurable defect under Rule 68(7) and renders the appeal incompetent.
* Criminal appeal – Notice of appeal – Rule 68(7) Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – requirement to be substantially in Form B – correct date of decision – contradictory dates create incurable ambiguity – notice defective rendering appeal incompetent and struck out.
30 November 2016
Omission of an extracted interlocutory order from the record of appeal renders the appeal incompetent.
Civil procedure — Appeal record — Rule 96(1)(k) — Interlocutory proceedings and extracted orders must be included when necessary; exclusion requires direction under Rule 96(3) — Omission renders appeal incompetent.
29 November 2016
Application for extension of time stayed pending determination of reference challenging a single Justice’s referral.
* Civil procedure – extension of time to file notice of appeal – second application (second bite) – scope of Rule 45(b) of the Court of Appeal Rules 2009 – appropriate procedure to challenge a single Justice’s referral under Rule 60(1).
29 November 2016
Notice of appeal missing prison transmission details and with inconsistent dates is defective; appeal struck out.
Criminal procedure — Appeal — Notice of appeal must comply with Court of Appeal Rules and Form B/Form B/1; special transmission requirements where appellant is in custody; defects apparent on face of record (missing prison particulars, inconsistent dates) render notice incurably defective and appeal incompetent — appeal struck out.
28 November 2016
February 2016
Failure to be supplied with a copy of judgment can constitute sufficient cause to extend time to file a review application.
* Civil procedure — Extension of time — Rule 10 TCA Rules 2009 — Sufficient cause — Failure to be supplied with copy of judgment as grounds for extension. * Criminal procedure — Application for review of Court of Appeal judgment — time limits and discretion to extend.
25 February 2016
December 2015
Respondent failed to prove ownership; trial magistrate misapplied burden of proof and appeal was allowed.
Civil procedure – burden of proof – plaintiff must prove ownership on balance of probabilities; appellate review of credibility findings and requirement for trial court to give reasons when rejecting evidence; validity of sale agreement and ownership disputes over land/structure.
28 December 2015
The applicant recovered hotel charges and general damages after a respondent personally undertook to pay for guests' accommodation.
Contract and commercial disputes – hotel accommodation – agency/assumption of liability – evidential proof of undertaking to pay – deposits paid by third party – relevance and linkage to services rendered – appellate re-evaluation of factual findings; damages and interest.
14 December 2015
Whether the appeal was time-barred where the memorandum was filed before service of the certified record of appeal.
Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – Rule 72(1): commencement of 21-day period upon service of the certified record of appeal; Registrar’s letter supplying proceedings not equivalent to service of record; premature memorandum of appeal struck out; Court may allow refiling under Rule 4(2)(a) and Rule 72(5) to secure substantial justice.
14 December 2015
Inadequate summing up and insufficient involvement of assessors rendered the High Court trial a nullity; conviction quashed and retrial ordered.
Criminal procedure – Trials with assessors – Duty to sum up adequately to assessors (summary of facts, evidence, law, and defence) – Assessors’ participation, including questioning witnesses – Failure to comply renders trial a nullity – Conviction quashed and retrial ordered.
14 December 2015
Leave to appeal refused where dispute was factual and concurrent credibility findings raised no point of law.
Land law – ownership dispute – leave to appeal – findings of fact based on witness credibility – concurrent findings of lower courts – appellate restraint where no point of law shown.
11 December 2015
Revocation of lease was void for denial of hearing; alternative plot ordered, monetary award quashed for lack of evidence.
Land law – Revocation of lease – procedural fairness and natural justice – right to be heard/notice to show cause – invalidity of administrative revocation; remedy—alternative land allocation versus setting aside subsequent allocation; compensation – requirement of evidential basis.
11 December 2015
An appeal is incompetent if the record omits required pleadings and proceedings under Rule 96(1).
Civil procedure — Appeal — Record of appeal — Rule 96(1)(c) & (d) — requirement to include pleadings and complete record of proceedings; omission of chamber summons and affidavits; Rule 96(3) application for exclusion of documents; incompetency and striking out of appeal.
9 December 2015
Notice of appeal failing to identify individual respondents and not complying with Form B is incurably defective and appeal struck out.
Criminal procedure – Notice of appeal – Compliance with Rule 68(1),(2) and (7) and FORM B – Impleading of absent person who never appeared at trial – Requirement to identify individual respondents – Incurable defects rendering appeal incompetent.
8 December 2015
An appeal lacking a properly dated decree is incompetent and will be struck out despite registry errors.
Civil procedure – Appeal competence – Requirement to include a properly drawn decree in record of appeal (rule 96(1)(h) Court of Appeal Rules 2009) – Decree must bear the date judgment was pronounced (Order XXIII Rule 7 Civil Procedure Decree) – Decree dated differently from judgment renders appeal incompetent.
8 December 2015
Extension of time granted where inadvertent procedural error and prompt corrective action demonstrated sufficient cause.
Civil procedure – extension of time – sufficient cause – inadvertent procedural error (filing revision instead of reference) – prompt corrective action and reasonable diligence may justify enlargement of time.
8 December 2015
Court granted extension of time to file a reference, excusing counsel’s inadvertent procedural error due to prompt corrective action.
Extension of time – sufficient cause – court to consider reasons for delay not merits; Counsel’s inadvertence/negligence excusable where prompt corrective steps taken; Active pursuit of remedies amounts to diligence.
8 December 2015
Registrar’s post‑filed certificate of delay cannot render an otherwise timely appeal incompetent.
Civil procedure – computation of time for filing an appeal – effect of Registrar’s certificate of delay issued after filing – preliminary objection on time bar overruled where memorandum filed within prescribed period following extension of time.
7 December 2015
7 December 2015
7 December 2015
Notices of appeal that wrongfully implead an absent accused and refer to respondents only as "11 others" are incurably defective.
Court of Appeal Rules 2009 — Rule 68(1),(2),(7) — Notice of criminal appeal must identify respondent(s) and substantially follow Form B; improper impleading of absent accused; "others" without identification incurable defect; misdescription of order appealed vitiates notice.
7 December 2015
A stay of execution application in the Court of Appeal requires a prior notice of appeal; otherwise it lacks jurisdiction.
* Civil procedure – Jurisdiction – Stay of execution – Whether a notice of appeal is a prerequisite under Rule 11(2)(b) of the Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – Absence of notice of appeal renders stay application non-justiciable.
7 December 2015
Prompt, diligent post-strike-out conduct can constitute good cause to extend time to file a Notice of Appeal.
Civil procedure – Extension of time – Rule 10 Court of Appeal Rules – "good cause" requires consideration of promptness, explanation for delay, diligence and special circumstances (e.g. alleged illegality) – post-strike-out prompt applications may justify enlargement.
7 December 2015
5 December 2015
Prompt correction of counsel's procedural error constituted sufficient cause to grant extension of time to file a reference.
* Civil procedure – extension of time – sufficient cause – inquiry limited to reasons for delay, not merits of earlier applications * Procedural mistake – inadvertent filing of revision instead of reference – may be excused where promptly corrected * Diligence – prompt corrective action and continuous pursuit of remedies justify enlargement of time * Court of Appeal – role in extension applications limited to assessing delay, not re-deciding substantive issues
5 December 2015
4 December 2015
Court granted extension to file notice of appeal, finding applicant acted promptly and established good cause.
Civil procedure – Extension of time under Rule 10 – "Good cause" requires consideration of promptness, explanation for delay and diligence; prior High Court refusal not necessarily determinative; ignorance of procedure not per se sufficient but may be considered in context.
3 December 2015
Court dismissed improperly pleaded preliminary objection and held a Muslim's Mainland affirmation valid; application to be heard on merit.
Civil procedure — preliminary objections — competence and enabling provisions; Oaths & affirmations — validity of a Muslim's affirmation taken in Mainland Tanzania for proceedings filed in Zanzibar; Court's discretion under Court of Appeal Rules to dispense with written submissions and hear matter on merits.
3 December 2015
Alleged invalidity of a Muslim's affirmed affidavit failed; court dismissed the preliminary objection and ordered hearing on the merits.
Civil procedure — preliminary objection — competence and enabling provisions; Oaths and affirmations — validity of Muslim affirmation administered in Mainland Tanzania; Court of Appeal Rules — discretion to dispense with written submissions and proceed to oral hearing.
3 December 2015
An application for restoration is incompetent and struck out if the dismissal ruling sought to be restored is not attached.
Court of Appeal procedure – Restoration of dismissed application – Requirement to attach the dismissal Ruling – Competence of application – Rules 48(1) and 63(3) of the Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – Application struck out for failure to produce vital document.
2 December 2015
Application to restore dismissed matter struck out for failure to attach the vital dismissal ruling; no costs ordered.
Civil procedure – Application for restoration of dismissed proceeding – Necessity to attach the dismissal ruling – Competence of application – Affidavits must exhibit vital documents – Failure to attach vital document renders application incompetent – Costs where defect prompted by court suo motu.
2 December 2015
Restoration application struck out for incompetence where the essential dismissal ruling was not produced.
* Civil procedure – Restoration of dismissed application – Requirement to attach the dismissal ruling as a vital supporting document – Competence of restoration application. * Evidence/pleadings – Annexures to affidavits must include material documents relied upon. * Costs – No order as to costs where defect was prompted by the Court suo motu.
2 December 2015
April 2015
Non-joinder of the mortgagor and failure to state when the cause of action arose led to striking out the suit with costs.
Civil Procedure — Mortgage suits — Order XXXII Rule 1(1): mandatory joinder of persons with interest in mortgage or right of redemption; Order VII Rule 1(e): plaint must state facts constituting cause of action and when it arose — failure to comply grounds for striking out; locus standi of corporate plaintiff vs. mortgagor.
17 April 2015
March 2015
Ignorance of law by a lay applicant is not a reasonable ground to extend time to seek leave to appeal.
Civil procedure – extension of time – Appellate Jurisdiction Act s.11(1) – application for leave to appeal – ignorance of law by a layperson is not a reasonable ground for extension – copies of judgment not a prerequisite to file application for leave.
6 March 2015
December 2014
Failure to prove the dates specified in the charge is a fatal defect; conviction unsustainable and appeal dismissed.
* Criminal law – Particulars of offence – Necessity to prove the date/period alleged in the charge – Material uncertainty as to time vitiates conviction. * Criminal procedure – Duty of the prosecution – Correct framing of charges and proving particulars at trial. * Evidence – Inconsistency between charge sheet and witness testimony (child victim and medical examiner) – Fatal defect not curable under s.394(1)(a) CPA.
11 December 2014
Extension of time granted where late supply of the decree (required for stay application) constituted good cause.
* Civil procedure – extension of time – Rule 10 Court of Appeal Rules – discretionary power to extend time on good cause shown. * Stay of execution – Rule 11(2)(c) – requirement to attach copy of decree to application for stay – late supply of decree as ground for extension. * Unopposed applications – absence of affidavit in reply strengthens grant of relief when good cause shown.
5 December 2014
September 2014
A notice to sue the Government must be served on the responsible ministry; suing only the Attorney General is improper.
* Government Proceedings Act s.6(2) – Notice of intention to sue must be served on the specific Minister/Department/Officer and copy to the Attorney General; proper Ministry/department is a necessary party. * Non‑joinder – Suing Attorney General alone without impleading responsible Ministry/department renders suit bad in law. * Limitation – Court declined to decide limitation where non‑joinder was fatal.
19 September 2014
June 2014
Application to High Court to call Primary Court record dismissed for being brought under the wrong statute.
Primary Court proceedings — applicability of statutes — Civil Procedure Code not applicable to Primary Court matters — Magistrates' Courts Act governs Primary Court matters — application brought under wrong provision dismissed with costs.
26 June 2014
December 2013
Failure to adequately sum up to assessors renders the trial invalid and warrants a retrial.
* Criminal procedure – Assessors – duty of trial judge to sum-up evidence to assessors (s.278(1) CPA) – "may" construed in practice as mandatory for adequate summing-up on essential elements – failure or misdirection fatal – trial not with aid of assessors – revisional relief and retrial ordered under s.4(2) Appellate Jurisdiction Act.
13 December 2013
Failure to properly sum up to assessors renders the trial a nullity and warrants quashing and retrial.
* Criminal procedure – trials with assessors – statutory requirement to sum up to assessors under s.278(1) – necessity for a recorded and comprehensive summing up; * Summing up must include summary of facts, evidence, relevant law, and possible defences; * Failure to properly sum up is fatal and renders the trial a nullity; * Remedy: quash proceedings, set aside sentence and order retrial de novo with new assessors.
13 December 2013
Applicants may apply to the Court of Appeal after a Regional Court with extended jurisdiction refuses extension of time.
* Appellate procedure – Extension of time – Where subordinate court exercises extended jurisdiction it is deemed High Court for Rule 47 and section 11(1) AJA – Applicants may apply to Court of Appeal after refusal by that subordinate court. * Civil procedure – Preliminary objection – Competence of application under appellate rules. * Procedural law – Issues not properly raised or without leave will not be entertained.
11 December 2013
A preliminary objection based on disputed facts cannot be decided on counsel submissions; it must be tried with admissible evidence.
Civil procedure — Preliminary objections — Must raise pure points of law apparent on pleadings; counsel submissions and extraneous documents are not evidence — Order XIV Rule 6 (admissions) not invoked — Order XXI Rules 7 & 8 require oral evidence in court under judge’s superintendence — Company registration and capacity to hold land are factual matters for trial.
10 December 2013
Extension of time granted to seek revision where prima facie illegality justified delay; substantive issues reserved for Full Court.
Civil procedure — Extension of time to file revision — Rule 10 and Rule 65(4) — Alleged illegality and irregularity in lower court proceedings — Recording of compromise as decree while preliminary objections pending — Deputy Registrar’s jurisdiction — Prima facie assessment by Single Judge; substantive determination left to Full Court.
10 December 2013
Application for extension struck out for failure to comply with Rule 48(1) and mis-citation of enabling rule.
Procedure – Court of Appeal Rules, 2009 – Rule 48(1) mandatory requirement for notice of motion and affidavit; Mis‑pleading of procedure – filing chamber application instead of notice of motion; Mis-citation of rule – citing Rule 47 instead of Rule 10 for extension of time; Court’s suo motu power to raise procedural non‑compliance; Incompetence of application leads to striking out.
3 December 2013
November 2013
Applicant not party to original suit and supported by defective jurat; application struck out with costs.
* Civil procedure – locus standi – a non-party to original suit lacks standing to apply for review; remedy is revision. * Civil procedure – affidavits – jurat must include attesting officer's handwritten name; omission renders affidavit incurably defective and application incompetent. * Civil procedure – failure to file court-ordered written submissions = failure to appear; court may determine objections in absence of defaulting party.
8 November 2013
September 2013
Reported
Application for extension of time struck out for non-compliance with Rule 48(1) and for citing the wrong rule.
* Civil procedure — Court of Appeal Rules 2009 — Rule 48(1) — requirement that applications be by notice of motion supported by affidavit and cite the specific rule. * Procedural competence — improper mode of application (chamber application vs notice of motion) — consequences of non-compliance. * Rule citation — citing a general rule (Rule 47) instead of the specific rule for extension of time (Rule 10) — renders application incompetent.
10 September 2013
Extension application struck out for being filed as a chamber application and citing the wrong rule.
Court of Appeal Rules 2009 – Rule 48(1) mandatory form of application; requirement for notice of motion supported by affidavit; necessity to cite specific rule; improper use of chamber application; citing wrong rule (Rule 47 instead of Rule 10) renders application incompetent and subject to striking out.
10 September 2013
December 2012
The applicant's appeal lacked required leave, was struck out, and respondents awarded costs.
Appellate procedure — leave to appeal required for certain High Court orders — incompetence and striking out of appeal and notice of appeal — extension of time must first be sought in High Court — costs awarded for abortive appeal.
15 December 2012
An appeal without required leave is incompetent and must be struck out; extension of time must first be sought in the High Court.
* Civil procedure – Appealability – Leave required under section 11(1) Appellate Jurisdiction Act and Rule 47 – Appeal incompetent without leave. * Civil procedure – Incompetent appeal – striking out appeal and accompanying notice of appeal. * Civil procedure – Extension of time to file notice of appeal – must be sought first in High Court; Court of Appeal may entertain only after High Court refusal. * Costs – award where appellant delayed and resisted a meritorious preliminary objection.
14 December 2012