at the District Court of Chato on 23 November 2009 where he was granted bail. On 25 January 2010, the next hearing date, the Applicant failed to appear before the District Court leading to the adjournment of the case and the issuance of an arrest warrant. On 13 April 2010, the prosecutor requested the District Court to proceed with the hearing in the Applicant’s absence as efforts to trace him had proved futile. The prosecutor’s request was granted and on 22 July 2010, the District Court convicted the Applicant in absentia and sentenced him to life imprisonment. 4. On 29 June 2012, the Applicant was arrested by the police and presented before the District Court. He explained the reasons for his non-appearance during the previous hearings but the magistrate was unconvinced with the explanation and thus maintained his conviction and sentence. 5. On 17 July 2012, the Applicant appealed against his conviction and sentence at the High Court of Tanzania sitting at Bukoba, which dismissed the appeal through a judgment on 29 October 2014. He further appealed to the Court of Appeal on 10 November 2014, but his appeal was dismissed for lack of merit on 19 February 2016. B. Alleged violations 6. The Applicant alleges the violation of his right to a fair trial and right to defence, in that: i. He was denied the right to be heard; and ii. His conviction was based on unreliable evidence. 3