v. Mr Hangi M. CHANG’A, Assistant Director, Constitution, Human Rights and Election petitions; Office of the Solicitor General; vi. Ms Sylvia MATIKU, Principal State Attorney, Attorney General’s Chambers; and vii. Ms Blandina KASAGAMA, Legal Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation. After deliberation, Renders this Ruling: I. THE PARTIES 1. Leonard Moses (hereinafter referred to as “the Applicant”), is a national of the United Republic of Tanzania, who at the time of filing the Application, was incarcerated at Uyui Central Prison in the Tabora region, having been convicted of the offence of rape and sentenced to a term of thirty (30) years in prison and twelve (12) strokes of the cane. He alleges the violation of his right to a fair trial before the 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. On 21 November 2019, the Respondent State deposited with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, an instrument withdrawing its Declaration. The Court has held that this withdrawal has no bearing on pending and new cases filed before 22 November 2020, which 2