On September 27, 2019, the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights announced verdicts in four cases under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights ('the Charter'). In Godfrey Antony and Another v. United Republic of Tanzania, the Applicants challenged their sentences of 30 years for conspiracy to commit a felony and armed robbery, and alleged that the Respondent State unlawfully failed to provide them with free legal representation and discriminated against them under Article 7 of the Charter. 

Shukurani Mango and Others v. United Republic of Tanzania involved seven applicants. Five of the Applicants challenged the United Republic of Tanzania's exercise of the presidential prerogative of mercy in connection with the imposition of the death penalty following convictions of murder. Two Applicants challenged the imposition of a sentence of 30 years following their convictions of armed robbery. The Court ruled the claims relating to the exercise of the prerogative as inadmissible. The remaining claims concerning the 30-year sentence were dismissed on the merits. 

The Court reached decision on the merits in Majid Goa @ Vedatus v. United Republic of Tanzania and Benedicto Daniel Mallya v. United Republic of Tanzania, both cases involving convictions of rape. In Goa, the Court found that the Applicant's right to free legal assistance under Article 7(1)(c) of the Charter was violated by the Respondent State. The Applicant was awarded TZS 300,000 (approx. $130). In Mallya, the Court found that the Applicant's right to liberty under Article 6 was violated by the Respondent State because the State had failed "to place at his disposal procedural guarantees which would have made it possible to avoid his continued arbitrary imprisonment." The Court also found a violation of the Applicant's right to appeal under Article 7(1)(a)-(b) because the State failed "to provide the Applicant with certified true copies of the record of proceedings and judgment within a reasonable time." Reparations and consideration of costs will be considered at a later date.

The full judgments are not yet available, but summaries could be accessed at the time of writing.