Academic Staff

Dr. Sosteness Francis Materu

Sosteness Francis Materu is a lecturer at the Department of Economic Law. He joined the School (then Faculty of Law) in 2009. Before this appointment, Dr Materu worked as an Assistant Tax Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) from August 2008 to September 2009. Dr Materu has a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL. B (Hons)-2008) from University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Master of Laws Degree (LL.M (Summa Cum Laude)-2011) from University of the Western Cape, South Africa; and a Doctor of Laws Degree (Dr. Iuris (Summa Cum Laude-2014) from Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. In 2016, Dr Materu received a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law School of Tanzania, thereby becoming an Advocate of the High Court of Tanzania, Notary Public and Commissioner for Oaths. He is a member of the Tanganyika Law Society. Dr Materu’s areas of interests are international criminal law, transitional justice, international humanitarian law and anti-money laundering law.

Dr Materu holds several administrative and advisory positions within the University. Currently, he is serving as the Head of the Public Law Department. Since 2014, he is the Coordinator of Master of Laws in Procedural Law and International Legal Practice program. He is also a member of the Ministerial Advisory Board of the Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA) from 2015-2019. In addition to these responsibilities, Dr Materu has been a visiting scholar at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. He is also an external examiner for Ruaha Catholic University from 2017-2021.

Publications

Dr Materu has published in his areas of specializations. Some of those publications are:

Books and Book Chapters

• S.F. Materu, “A Strained Relationship: Reflections on The African Union’s Stand Towards the International Criminal Court from The Kenyan Perspective” In G. Werle, L Fernandez and M. Vormbaum Africa and the International Criminal Court T.M.C Asser Press, The Hague, Netherlands, 2014.

• S.F. Materu, The Post-Election Violence in Kenya: Domestic and International Legal Responses, T.M.C Asser Press, The Hague, Netherlands, 2015.

• S.F Materu and L. Mussa, “A Survey of The Policy and Legal Framework for Oil and Gas in Tanzania Prior To 2015” (Chapter in a Book on Oil and Gas in Tanzania – forthcoming)

          Dar es Salaam University Press, 2018.

Journal Articles

• S.F Materu “Fighting Money Laundering through Criminal Prosecution in Tanzania: A Critical Overview of the Law and Practice” (journal article in final stages of writing), 2018.

Research/Consultancy Reports

• F Materu “Restriction of Advocates in Promary Courts: Effect on Administration of Justice” (LL. B Dissertation), University of Dar es Salaam, 2008.
• F Materu “The Prosecution of International Crimes in Respect of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Critical Evaluation of the Factual Background and Specific Legal Considerations”, LL.M Dissertation, University of the Western Cape (http://etd.uwc.ac.za/usrfiles/modules/etd/docs/etdgen8Srv25Nme434261307603049.pdf) 2011.

Supervision

Dr Materu has supervised several undergraduate and postgraduate students. Currently, he is co-supervising one Ph. D candidate, Bakari, Mussa Kombo, whose topic is focuses on the Domestication and Implementation of International Child Instruments Towards Combating Child Sexual Abuse in Zanzibar

Academic Achievements, Prizes, Awards and Recognitions

Due to his outstanding performance and academic excellence, Dr. Materu has received several prizes, awards, and recognition. Some of them are;

• 2015, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin: Best Doctoral Thesis in the area of Criminal Law for academic year 2014, Faculty of Law, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin
• 2011-2014, Deutscher Academischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD):Scholarship from the Federal Government of Germany to pursue doctoral studies at the South African-German Centre for Transnational Criminal Justice (Cape Town and Berlin)
• 2010, Deutscher Academischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD):          Scholarship from the Federal Government of Germany to pursue LL.M degree at the at the South African-German Centre for Transnational Criminal Justice, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.
• 2011, University of the Western Cape, Dean’s Medal. Awarded for passing LL.M degree Cum Laude (with distinction)
• 2008, University of Dar es Salaam, The University Prize. Awarded to the overall Best Final year student - Faculty of Law.
• 2008, University of Dar es Salaam, Social Security Research Prize. Awarded to the Best Final Year Law Student with Highest Mark in LL. B Dissertation
• 2008, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training Prize. Awarded to the Best Final Year Student in Each Faculty University of Dar es Salaam
• 2008, University of Dar es Salaam, Sheikh Mohamed Zulfrulah Khan Prize. Awarded to the Best Final Year Law Student
• 2008, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Breweries Ltd Prize. Awarded to the Best Student in Final Year in law University of Dar es Salaam.
• 2008, University of Dar es Salaam, Professor Issa Shivji Prize. Awarded to the Best Final (fourth Year) Student in Law at the University of Dar es Salaam.
• 2007, University of Dar Es Salaam, The Vice-Chancellor law Prize 2007/2008. Awarded to the Best Student in Third Year of studies in the Faculty of Law the University of Dar es Salaam.

2003, Tanzania Ministry of Education: Ministry of Education Prize Awarded to the best student in single subject in the Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education (ACSE) in Tanzania (Subject: English)