166. In order to guarantee the non-repetition of the violations at issue herein, the
Court orders the Respondent State to undertake all necessary measures to
repeal the provision for the mandatory death penalty in its Penal Code.56
ii. Restoration of liberty
167. According to the Applicant, there are compelling reasons for the Court to
order her release. She contends, in particular, that re-opening the defence
case or holding a re-trial would “result in prejudice and occasion miscarriage
of justice”, given the following circumstances: the passage of time since the
alleged offence; the unfairness of the Applicant remaining in custody
pending a retrial after ten years in detention; the risk that a re-trial may be
subject to an unlawful mandatory death sentence; the existence of tainted
evidence that is not capable of being corrected in fresh proceedings; and
the Applicant’s rehabilitation.
*
168. The Respondent State submits that the Court should dismiss this prayer
insofar as the Applicant was arrested, found culpable and sentenced in
accordance with the law.
***
169. Regarding the request to be set free, the Court recalls that it can only make
such order in compelling circumstances. The Court notes that its findings in
the present Application only pertain to the sentencing and do not therefore
affect the conviction of the Applicant. The prayer for release is therefore not
warranted, and the Court consequently dismisses the same.
170. The Court however consider that, while the Applicant states not wishing for
the reopening of the defence case or a retrial, a related order is in the
interest of justice to give effect to the correlated order that the domestic
provision on the mandatory death sentence be removed. The findings of this
56
Ally Rajabu and Others v. Tanzania (merits and reparations), § 136.
47