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JUDGMENT SUMMARY
MOSES AMOS MWAKASINDILE
V.
UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
APPLICATION NO. 045/2019
JUDGMENT SUMMARY
JUDGMENT ON MERITS AND REPARATIONS
A DECISION OF THE AFRICAN COURT ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS
Arusha, 6 March 2026: The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (“the Court”)
delivered a judgment in the case of Moses Amos Mwakasindile v. United Republic of
Tanzania.
Moses Amos Mwakasindile (“the Applicant”) is a national of the United Republic of
Tanzania (“the Respondent State”). At the time of filing the Application, the Applicant was
serving a sentence of life imprisonment after having been tried and convicted of the
offence of trafficking in narcotic drugs. He alleged violation of his rights during
proceedings before national courts.
The Respondent State objected to the material jurisdiction of the Court as well as the
admissibility of the Application.
In its objection to the Court’s material jurisdiction, the Respondent State argued that the
Applicant was asking the Court to evaluate evidence adduced before its national courts,
and in effect inviting the Court to exercise appellate jurisdiction.
In response to this contention, the Court held that in exercising its jurisdiction, in
accordance with Article 3(1) of the Protocol, it does not operate as an appellate court. It
further pointed out, that it is not barred from interrogating proceedings before the national
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