vi. Ms Blandina KASAGAMA, Legal Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation. After deliberation, Renders this Judgment: I. THE PARTIES 1. Dadu Sumano Kilagela (hereinafter referred to as “the Applicant”) is a national of Tanzania. At the time of filing the Application, he was incarcerated at Uyui Central Prison, Tabora, Tanzania, having been sentenced to thirty (30) years’ imprisonment for armed robbery. The Applicant alleges a violation of his rights during the proceedings before national courts. 2. The Application is filed against the United Republic of Tanzania (hereinafter referred to as “the Respondent State”), which became a party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (hereinafter referred to as “the Charter”) on 21 October 1986 and to the Protocol on 10 February 2006. Furthermore, the Respondent State, on 29 March 2010, deposited the declaration prescribed under Article 34(6) of the Protocol (hereinafter referred to as “the Declaration”), through which it accepted the jurisdiction of the Court to receive applications from individuals and Non-Governmental Organisations having observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. On 21 November 2019, the Respondent State deposited an instrument withdrawing its Declaration with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission. The Court held that this withdrawal has no bearing on pending and new cases filed before the withdrawal came into effect one (1) year after its deposit, in this case, on 22 November 2020.2 2 Andrew Ambrose Cheusi v. United Republic of Tanzania (judgment) (26 June 2020) 4 AfCLR 219, §§ 37-39. 2