[2019] AfCHPR 84
The Court determined that, in the interests of justice and procedural fairness, the proceedings in Application No. 017/2016 should be reopened to allow the Applicant an opportunity to reply to the Respondent State's response on reparations. The Court found that the Respondent State's response was properly filed and...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- [2019] AfCHPR 84
- Parties
- Applicant: Deogratius Nicolaus Jeshi; Respondent: United Republic of Tanzania
- Court
- African Court on Human and Peoples Rights
- Jurisdiction
- Uganda
- Case Number
- Application No. 017/2016
- Procedural Posture
- Human Rights Application / Order for Reopening of Pleadings
- Outcome
- Order for reopening of pleadings; directions for further submissions.
- Judges
- Anukam J, Ben Achour J, Bensaoula J, Chizumila J, Eno R, Kioko VP, Matusse J, Mengue J, Mukamulisa J, Orè P, Tchikaya J
- Legal Topics
- Fair Trial Rights, Equality Before the Law, Right to Defence, Death Penalty, Reparations Procedure
- Source Language
- en
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Deogratius Nicolaus Jeshi
Applicant
United Republic of Tanzania
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Human Rights Application / Order for Reopening of Pleadings
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the Respondent State violated the Applicant's right to a fair trial under the African Charter and Tanzanian Constitution.
- 2 Whether the Applicant's rights to equality before the law and equal protection by the law were infringed.
- 3 Whether the Applicant was denied the right to defence, including counsel of choice.
Ratio Decidendi
The Court determined that, in the interests of justice and procedural fairness, the proceedings in Application No. 017/2016 should be reopened to allow the Applicant an opportunity to reply to the Respondent State's response on reparations. The Court found that the Respondent State's response was properly filed and should be considered in the adjudication of reparations. This order ensures both parties have a fair opportunity to present their arguments on reparations, consistent with the principles of fair trial and equality before the law as enshrined in the African Charter and the Tanzanian Constitution. The Court's decision is grounded in its mandate to safeguard procedural rights and...
Court Disposition
Order for reopening of pleadings; directions for further submissions.
Orders
- Proceedings in Application No. 017/2016 are hereby reopened.
- The Respondent State's response to the Applicant's submissions on reparations is deemed properly filed.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
41 paragraphs
| | | 01712016 | $1910812019$ 000234<br>(000 234 - 000 230) BS | |--|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|-----------------------------------------------| | | <b>AFRICAN UNION</b> | | UNION AFRICAINE | | | الاتحاد الأفريقي | | UNIÃO AFRICANA | | | AFRICAN COURT ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES' RIGHTS<br>COUR AFRICAINE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME ET DES PEUPLES<br>P. O Box 6274 Arusha, Tanzania- Telephone: +255 732 979506/9; Fax. +255 732 979503 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
THE MATTER OF
## **DEOGRATIUS NICOLAUS JESHI**
$V$ .
## **UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA**
### APPLICATION No. 017/2016
## ORDER FOR RE-OPENING OF PLEADINGS
**19 AUGUST 2019**

# 00093 3
The Court composed of: Sylvain ORE, President; Ben KIOKO, Vice-President; Rafad BEN ACHOUR, Angelo V. MATUSSE, Suzanne MENGUE, M-Therese MUKAMULISA Tujilane R. CHIZUMILA, Chafika BENSAOULA, Blaise TCHIKAYA, Stella l. ANUKAM, Judges; and Robert ENO, Registrar.
Pursuant to Article 22 of lhe Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (hereinafter referred to as "the Protocol") and Rule 8(2) of the Rules of Court (hereinafter referred to as "the Rules"), Judge lmani D. ABOUD, member of the Court and a national of Tanzania, did not hear the Application.
ln the Mafter of:
Deogratius Nicolaus JESHI
Self -represented
Versus
#### UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
represented by
- Dr Clement J. MASHAMBA Solicitor General, Office of the Solicitor General; - I Ms. Sarah MWAIPOPO, Director, Constitutional Affairs and Human Rights, Attorney General's Chambers; - il Mr. Zachariah ELISARIA, Senior State Attorney, Attorney General's Chambers; - IV [Vs. Nkasori SARAKIKYA, Principal State Attorney, Attorney General's Chambers; - lvtr. Benedict T. MSUYA, Second Secretary, Legal Officer, trlinistry of Foreign Affairs and lnternational Cooperation;
VI vil tVr. tvlichael LUENA, Principal State Attorney. Attorney General's Chambers; Mr. Veritas MLAY StateAttorney, Attorney General's Chambers.
0otl€3't
after deliberation,
rssues the following Order.
#### THE PARTIES
- 1. Mr. Deogratius Nicholaus Jeshi, (hereinafter referred to as "the Applicant") is <sup>a</sup> national of Tanzania, who was arrested and convicted for the crime of murder and sentenced to death by the High Court Tanzania at Karagwe on the 22 June 2010. He filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal of Tanzania at Bukoba (Criminal Appeal No. 211 of 2010), and on 7 March 2012,the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the High Court. The Applicant is currently on death row at Butimba Central Prison, [t/wanza. - 2. fhe Respondent State is the United Republic of Tanzania, which became a Party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (hereinafter referred to as the "Chartel') 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, by which it accepts the jurisdiction of the Court to receive applications from individuals and NGOs.
#### SUBJECT MATTER OF THE APPLICATION
3. The Application, filed on 22 March 2016, is based on the Respondent State's alleged violations of the Applicants rights to fair trial, equality before the law and equal protection by the law, the right to defence, including the right to be defended by counsel of his choice, as provided for under Articles 2, 3(1) and (2) and 7(1) (c)

of the Charter, as well as Articles 13(6)(a) and 107(a)(2)(b) of the Respondent State's Constitution of 1977.
# III. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEDURE BEFORE THE COURT
- 4. The Court issued an Orderfor Provisional Measures on 3June 2016, directing the Respondent State to refrain from executing the death penalty against the Applicant pending the determination of the Application. - 5. The Parties filed their submissions on the merits within the time stipulated by the Court, which were duly exchanged between them. - 6. The Applicant filed his submission on reparations on 6 August 2018, which was transmitted to the Respondent State on 30 August 2018. - 7. After extensions of time granted to the Respondent State on 4 October 2018; <sup>18</sup> February 2019 and 15 March 2019, on 13 June 2019, pleadings were closed and the Parties were duly notified. - 8. On 5 August 2019, the Respondent State filed its Response to the Applicant's submission on reparations.
#### ]V THE COURT:
t
- Orders that the proceedings in Application No. 017/2016 Deogratius Nicolaus Jeshi v. United Republic of Tanzania be and are hereby reopened; - Rules that, in the interests of justice, the Respondent State's Response to the Applicant's submissions on reparations be deemed to have been properly filed; and

$\overline{4}$
iii. Orders the Applicant to submit his Reply to the Respondent State's Response, if any, within thirty (30) days of receipt thereof.
Signed:
Sylvain ORÉ, President; and Robert ENO, Registrar.
HUMAN AND ORDITS OF
Done at Arusha, this Nineteenth Day of August in the Year 2019, in English and French, the English text being authoritative.