Barnabas Albert Samatta (born 20 July 1940) is a retired Tanzanian lawyer and judge who was Chief Justice of Tanzania from 2000 to 2007.
Early years (1940–1966)
Barnabas Albert Samatta was born on 20 July 1940 in Ng'ombo Village, Mbinga District.
His parents were Mwalimu Cuthbert Samatta, a teacher, and Mary Julia Kayuza.
He was the youngest of a family of five.
His father died when he was nine and his maternal uncle, also a teacher, took responsibility for raising him.[1]
He joined standard one at Ng'ombo Primary School, near Mbamba Bay, when he was ten years old, and after two months was advanced to standard three.
In 1953, he was admitted to Kilosa Native Authority School, also near Mbamba Bay.[2]
He completed standard six in 1954, then studied at Songea Boys Secondary School from 1955 to 1956, and at Tabora Boys Secondary School from 1957 to 1962, where he completed his secondary education.[3]
After completing his college education, on 5 April 1966, Samatta became a State Attorney in the Attorney General's Chambers in Dar es Salaam.
In September 1967, Samatta was named an assistant legal advisor to Earle E. Seaton in the delegation to the United Nations in New York for three months.
In 1968 he married Mercy Gladys Simba.
They had four children.
Samatta was Senior State Attorney from 1971 to 1972, then Director of Public Prosecutions for Tanzania Mainland from 1972 to 1976.[5]
From 1974 to 1977, he was a member of the Judicial System Review Commission.[6]