A Tanzanian Court of Appeal justice, Deo John Nangela, has been shortlisted for election to the bench of the International Criminal Court (ICC) during the Assembly of States Parties’ 25th session scheduled for December 7–17, 2026. He is among the candidates from Uganda, Ghana, Japan, and Colombia.
Appointed to the Court of Appeal in January 2025, Justice Nangela previously served as Principal Judge of the High Court in Sumbawanga and also worked in the Commercial Court. Before joining the Judiciary, he was Director of Business Regulation at the Fair Competition Commission.
Dr. Nangela holds a PhD in Law from the University of Cape Town, a Master of Laws from SOAS University of London, and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Dar es Salaam, where he lectured for nearly a decade. His areas of expertise include commercial and competition law, electronic contracts, dispute resolution, and human rights.
Under Article 36 of the Rome Statute, ICC judges are elected from individuals of high moral character, integrity, and recognised competence who are qualified to hold the highest judicial offices in their home countries. The Assembly of States Parties has set May 31, 2026, as the deadline for submitting any allegations of misconduct against nominees.