Isa Pantami And The Concept Of Criminal Responsibility Under Buhari
By Usman Masara Kim, Jos Nigeria
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In many countries, ignorance of the law is never an excuse for an offence. Simply put, a person who does something without realizing its legal implications could still be punished if such an action is against the law.
A slight exception in West Germany, based on the Federal Court of Justice's 1952 verdict, states, if a person engages in criminal conduct but is unaware of its criminality, that person cannot be fully charged with a criminal offense. Such a position might apply, maybe not directly but even in countries that still punish for wrongs committed with ignorance of law. However, this is restricted to a number of circumstances.