Isa Pantami And The Concept Of Criminal Responsibility Under Buhari
By Usman Masara Kim, Jos Nigeria Listen to article
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.