African Court’s former president passes on

Former President of African Court on Human and People’s Right, Justice Augustino S. L. Ramadhani, has passed on, a statement by the African Continental Court said on Saturday.

The statement, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said: “It is with the deepest sorrow that we have learnt of the death of Justice Ramadhani, who served as the Judge of the African Court from 2010-2016 and as its President from 2014-2016”.

Justice Sylvain Ore, current President of the Court, described Justice Ramadhani as an exemplary leader and unshaken in his pursuit of justice and protection of human rights on the African Continent.

“Justice Ramadhani was consistent and mentored many Judges and Staff. He foresaw good in everybody… he was like a father, big brother and above all a man of good faith and vision.”

The Late Justice Augustino Ramadhani held a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of East Africa (1970), a Master of Laws from the University of Dar es Salaam (1978) in International Law (the law of armed conflict) and a Bachelor of Divinity from the University of London (2004).

Immediately after obtaining his first degree Justice Ramadhani joined the Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Forces.

After training in the Tanzania Military Academy, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and reached the rank of Brigadier General when he was voluntarily released in 1996 when Tanzania resumed multiparty democracy.

Prior to being appointed Judge of the African Court, Justice Ramadhani was a Justice of Appeal of the United Republic of Tanzania from 1989 to 2010 when he retired after attaining the compulsory retirement age of 65.

In his last three years on the bench, he was the Chief Justice of Tanzania from 2007 to 2010; Chief Justice of Zanzibar from 1980 to 1989 and served as a Judge of the East African Court of Justice from 2001 to 2007.

From 1993 to 2003 Justice Ramadhani was the Vice Chairman of the Tanzania National Electoral Commission, and held the same position in the Zanzibar Electoral Commission from 2002 to 2007.

He was also the Chairman of Executive Council of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Electoral Commission Forum in 2006 and 2007.

He has published articles on Human Rights such as ‘Promoting a New Economic Order in Developing Countries: A Role for Human Rights Organizations, published in the Vol. XI No 3/1996 of the Speaking about Rights (Canada Human Rights Foundation Newsletter).