High Court of Tanzania

This is the second level in the Judiciary justice delivery hierarchy. It has both appellate and original powers on civil and criminal matters. It also hears appeals from the Courts of Resident Magistrate, the District Courts, and the District Land and Housing Tribunals in exercise of their original, appellate and/or revisional jurisdiction. The High Court is divided into Zones and specialized Divisions. 

Physical address
24 Kivukoni Road, P O Box: S.L.P. 9004
16 judgments

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16 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
April 2013
Appeal dismissed: tribunals properly addressed residential licences, building-permit issues and road-compensation dispute between the parties.
Land law – residential licences – recognition of licence as evidence of premises occupation; Building regulation – requirement for building permits and necessary parties in enforcement; Access and compensation – locus visit credibility, unsurveyed land, negotiation for road formation and compensation; Appellate review – no error where lower tribunal's factual findings supported by evidence.
30 April 2013
Respondent's default and improperly amended appeal document led to expungement; new issues not raised at trial cannot be heard on appeal.
• Civil procedure – consequences of failing to comply with court-ordered written submissions – treated as failure to defend; court may determine matter on available record. • Pleadings – amended memorandum of appeal must comply with court order; improperly titled or non-compliant documents may be expunged. • Appellate review – issues not raised and decided at trial cannot be introduced on appeal (unless pure points of law). • Evidence – trial tribunal's factual findings on ownership and tenancy upheld.
30 April 2013
Respondent’s failure to file court‑ordered submissions amounted to failure to defend; court proceeded on appellant’s submissions.
Land appeal procedure – failure to file court‑ordered written submissions – treated as failure to defend – court may determine appeal on appellant's submissions; procedural compliance – distinction between "additional grounds" and an "amended memorandum of appeal"; challenge to execution orders raised after filing appeal.
30 April 2013
Application for leave for certiorari and mandamus dismissed as time‑barred under s.19(2) of the Law Reform Act.
Administrative law – leave to apply for certiorari and mandamus – limitation under s.19(2) Law Reform (Fatal Accidents and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap.310 – six‑month period; Civil procedure – failure to prosecute by non‑filing of ordered submissions; Court’s duty to consider unopposed submissions.
29 April 2013
Appellant’s fence encroached 3.2 feet; tribunal findings upheld and appeal dismissed with costs.
Land law - Boundary disputes; Trespass by encroaching fence; Credibility of evidence and site inspection; Assessors’ opinions accepted on factual boundary determinations.
29 April 2013
Dismissal for expired speed track was unlawful where the speed track had been validly extended and the magistrate acted suo motu without hearing parties.
Civil procedure – Speed track (Order VIII A CPC) – Extension of scheduling order – Dismissal for expired speed track – Improper suo motu decision by trial magistrate without hearing parties – Revision under Magistrates Courts Act s.44.
29 April 2013
Allegation that court began early implying judicial misconduct requires high proof; restoration refused.
Criminal procedure — restoration of appeal dismissed for want of prosecution; explanation for non-appearance; allegation of judicial misconduct; high standard of proof required (above balance of probabilities); appellate review limited to restoration, not merits of conviction.
25 April 2013
Next friend lacked standing to annul administrator's appointment; eviction orders were consistent and application dismissed.
Probate and administration – intestate estate – appointment and removal of administrator – standing of non-heir/next friend to challenge appointment. Civil procedure – revision – functus officio – consistency of district court orders and validity of subsequent eviction order. Eviction and sale of estate property – distribution of proceeds to heirs; fitness of administrator assessed by recognition of beneficiaries, not personal care.
23 April 2013
19 April 2013
Alternative conviction was irregular; substituted offence was not minor/cognate and acquittal cannot be appealed via replying submissions.
Criminal procedure – alternative verdicts – sections 300–307 Criminal Procedure Act (Cap. 20) – minor and cognate offence requirement; Penal Code s.312(1)(b) (possession of property reasonably suspected to be stolen) vs s.296(1) (breaking and stealing) – DPP appeal procedure and limits (ss.377–381 Cap.20) – prosecution cannot appeal acquittal via replying submissions.
16 April 2013
An accused mentioned by a co-accused cannot be denied bail absent chemist and value certification.
Criminal Procedure Act s.148(3) & s.148(5)(a)(iii) – bail pending trial – statutory bar contingent on certification of drug type and value.* Drugs Act s.27(1)(b) – requirement of Commissioner’s certificate where value exceeds TSh 10,000,000.* Evidentiary requirement – Government Chemist report and corroboration required before denying bail where accused is only mentioned by co-accused.* Procedural error – subordinate court’s denial of bail quashed where statutory prerequisites absent.
15 April 2013
Failure to file court-ordered written submissions amounts to failure to prosecute and warrants dismissal with costs.
Civil procedure – failure to prosecute – non-compliance with court-ordered timetable for written submissions – failure to prosecute warrants dismissal; application for extension of time to file submissions – dismissal renders main application unprosecuted; stay of execution/extension to lodge appeal not determined on merits due to non-prosecution.
15 April 2013
Speed Track time runs from filing; scheduling non-compliance sustains objection, but plaintiffs allowed to rectify under court’s discretion.
Civil procedure — Order VIIIA (scheduling) — Speed Tracks — Time runs from commencement of suit, not from assignment date; scheduling orders mandatory. Civil procedure — Preliminary objection — Court must not pre-empt objection by exercising Order VIIIA Rule 4 powers to amend/extend scheduling order. Civil procedure — Section 95 CPC — Court’s discretion to allow rectification rather than striking out where no prejudice shown. Constitutional argument — Article 107A(2)(e) not a substitute for compliance with clear procedural rules.
11 April 2013
A review application filed by memorandum (not chamber summons with affidavit) is procedurally incompetent and is struck out with no order as to costs.
Civil Procedure — Review under Cap 33; procedural mode — Order XLIII Rule 2 requires chamber summons supported by affidavit; exceptions (oral, signed memorandum, other mode) narrow; competence raised sua sponte; incompetent review application struck out; no order as to costs where defect decided by court.
10 April 2013
5 April 2013
Court overruled res subjudice objection in one land suit and declared plaintiff owner of a Temeke matrimonial house.
Civil procedure – res subjudice – requirement that two suits affect the same right and be guided by the same legal principles – mortgage proceedings not necessarily identical to title dispute.* Land law – matrimonial property – declaration of ownership and registration where defendant voluntarily conveys a specific house to former spouse.
4 April 2013