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
31 judgments

Court registries

  • Filters
  • Judges
  • Alphabet
Sort by:
31 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
June 2021
30 June 2021
30 June 2021
30 June 2021
30 June 2021
Appellant lacked locus standi where letter of administration was not properly tendered; appeal dismissed with costs.
Land disputes – locus standi – necessity to tender letter of administration to prove capacity to sue; inadmissibility of attaching such document to reply at appeal as method of adducing additional evidence; failure to tender document at trial may render proceedings incompetent and null; section 45 Cap.216 and overriding objective cannot cure prejudicial procedural defects.
30 June 2021
29 June 2021
29 June 2021
Applicant failed to account for days of delay; court dismissed extension of time to lodge appeal.
Criminal procedure – Extension of time to lodge appeal – Applicant must account for every day of delay – Delay allegedly caused by trial court must be supported by record; unexplained intervening delay defeats application.
29 June 2021
High Court quashed CMA award for failing to hear applicant, give reasons and consider both parties' evidence, remitting matter for rehearing.
Labour law – procedural fairness – right to be heard; requirement to consider and analyze evidence of both parties; duty to give reasons in awards; revision powers of the High Court; nullity ab initio and remittal for rehearing.
29 June 2021
29 June 2021
29 June 2021
28 June 2021
25 June 2021
24 June 2021
Fair dismissal upheld where decision rested on the applicant’s admissions and disciplinary record, not disputed photographs.
Labour law – unfair termination – admissibility and evidential weight of photographs/electronic data – failure to tender device or certificate of authenticity – adverse inference – reliance on employee’s admission and disciplinary record – obligation to investigate under GN No. 42 of 2007.
24 June 2021
23 June 2021
23 June 2021
A criminal court lacked jurisdiction to determine land ownership; proceedings were nullified and conviction set aside.
Jurisdiction – RM's Court exceeded jurisdiction by determining land ownership; matters under Land Act s.167 are for land courts. Criminal law – obtaining money by false pretence premised on alleged double sale requires prior determination of ownership. Procedural remedy – proceedings and judgment void where court decides land issues without jurisdiction; stay and referral to land court required.
23 June 2021
Failure to record a tender-age witness's required promise to tell the truth vitiated her evidence and overturned the conviction.
Evidence Act s.127(2) — witness of tender age — requirement to promise to tell the truth and understanding of oath; procedural prerequisites before admitting child testimony; failure to comply — expunction of evidence; circumstantial evidence insufficient without child witness; retrial inappropriate where witness’s age has changed.
23 June 2021
23 June 2021
Tenant did not breach rent covenant; padlocking without court order unlawful; tenant entitled to refund and damages.
Land law – Lease covenants – Certainty of rent; written lease specifying rent precedes payment (s.89(1)(a) Cap.113).; Distress and seizure – Levying distress must follow ss.102 and 104 Cap.113, require court order and use of court/tribunal broker; padlocking without this is unlawful.; Proof of tenant’s interest – payment to predecessor tenant can establish an interest in leased business premises; standard of proof is balance of probabilities.; Evaluation of evidence – appellate re-evaluation may correct tribunal’s misapplication of law and findings of fact.
23 June 2021
21 June 2021
21 June 2021
14 June 2021
10 June 2021
10 June 2021
A child witness must be probed and recorded under s.127(2); improper reception vitiated conviction, but retrial ordered given remaining evidence.
Evidence — Child witness — Section 127(2) Evidence Act — Child may testify on oath/affirmation if understands; otherwise must promise to tell truth — alternatives, not cumulative processes. Evidence — Child witness — Necessity to ask and record simplified probing questions to determine competence. Criminal procedure — Improper reception of child’s evidence — expungement — effect on conviction. Criminal procedure — Retrial — conditions and interests of justice where remaining independent evidence exists.
8 June 2021
2 June 2021
Grant of bail under EOCCA for alleged unlawful possession of firearms, with mandatory bond and surety conditions.
Bail — EOCCA s.36(1) — bailable offence — unlawful possession of firearms — mandatory bail conditions under s.36(5)(a)-(d) — bond and two sureties — sureties’ residence within territorial jurisdiction — surrender of travel documents — Deputy Registrar approval of sureties.
2 June 2021
The appellant’s conviction was unsafe because the allegedly stolen cattle were not properly identified.
Criminal law – Theft – Identification of stolen property – necessity of distinctive marks and pre‑trial/in‑court identification; Evidence – doctrine of recent possession is rebuttable and requires clear proof of ownership; Failure to tender exhibits weakens prosecution; Admissions insufficient where elements not proved.
1 June 2021
1 June 2021