Arusha, Tanzania
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JUDGMENT SUMMARY
CHACHA JEREMIAH AND OTHERS
V.
UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
CONSOLIDATED APPLICATION NOs. 039/2019, 040/2019 & 041/2019
JUDGMENT ON MERITS AND REPARATION
5 JUNE 2026
A DECISION OF THE AFRICAN COURT ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS
Arusha, 5 June 2026: The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Court)
today delivered a Judgment in the case of Chacha Jeremiah and Others v. United
Republic of Tanzania.
Chacha Jeremiah, Methew Jeremiah Daud and Paschal Ligoye Mashiku (the
Applicants) are nationals of the United Republic of Tanzania (the Respondent State).
At the time of filing the Application, they were incarcerated at Butimba Central Prison,
Mwanza, having been convicted of murder and sentenced to death, by hanging. The
Applicants alleged that the Respondent State violated their right to life, right to inherent
dignity, right to be represented by counsel of one’s choice, right to be tried within a
reasonable time and the right to be heard, protected under Articles 4, 5, 7(1)(c), 7(1)(d)
and 7(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Charter)
respectively with regards to the proceedings at the national courts.
In accordance with Article 3 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and
Peoples’ Rights on the establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’
Rights (the Protocol), the Court first determined whether it had jurisdiction to hear the
Application. In this regard, the Respondent State raised an objection to the material
jurisdiction of the Court arguing that it does not have appellate jurisdiction. The Court
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