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How Nigeria got its Criminal Code

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

Extract

The Crown Colonies have for a long time, and for obvious reasons, been regarded as affording a suitable ground for the exercise of the efforts of codifiers, and I believe I am correct in saying that if a Colonial Chief Justice or Attorney-General wishes to gain the favour of the Colonial Office, he offers to codify the laws he helps to administer.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © School of Oriental and African Studies 1970

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References

1 H L. Stephen, “A model criminal code for the colonies”, (1899) 1 J. Comp. Leg. (N.S.) 439.

2 J. S. Read, “Criminal law in the Africa of today and tomorrow”, [1963] J.A.L. 5.

page 138 note 1 Dispatch 287 of 5.9.89 (Denton/Knutsford), CO. 147/72.

pag138 note 2 Edward Wingfield (K.C.M.G., 1899), Assistant Under-Secretary, 1878–97; Permanent Under-Secretary, 1897–1900.

page 139 note 1 Marginal note by Knutsford: “This would work well in most, if not all, the Crown colonies”. It may be noted that H. L. Stephen in his article of 1899, cited above, states, “It [the Jamaica draft] has.been officially proclaimed to be the model on which all future colonial Criminal Codes should be framed.”

page 139 note 2 Dispatches of 23.12.89; no. 244 to Lagos, no. 266 to the Gold Coast, no. 292 to Sierra Leone and no. 97 to the Gambia.

page 139 note 3 Dispatch 144 of 28.4.91 (Brandford Griffith/Knutsford), CO. 96/216.

page 139 note 4 Dispatch of 29.1.98 (MacCallum/Chamberlain), CO. 147/129.

page 140 note 1 Confidential dispatch of 23.2.01 (MacGregor/Chamberlain), CO. 147/154.

page 141 note 1 Dispatch of 14.4.99 (Denton/Chamberlain), CO. 147/142.

page 142 note 1 Section 7 (3) stated: “In the construction of this Code a court shall not be bound by any judicial decision or opinion on the construction of any other statute, or of the common law, as to the definition of any offence or any element of any offence.”

page 143 note 1 Of 23.2.01, cited above.

page 144 note 1 “Report on (Draft) Criminal Code Proclamation”, enclosed with dispatch of 6.10.03 (Wallace/Chamberlain), C.O. 446/33.

page 144 note 2 Dispatch of 23.6.04 (Egerton/Lyttleton), C.O. 520/25.

page 144 note 3 Hugh Bertram Cox, Legal Assistant Under-Secretary in the Colonial Office, 1897–1911. John Shuckburg-Risley (K.C.M.G. 1922) Legal Assistant 1901–1911 and Legal Adviser 1911–1931.

page 145 note 1 Dispatch No. 264 of 29.6.05 (Egerton/Lyttleton), CO. 520/31.

page 145 note 2 The Indian Penal Code was, in fact, in force at this time in the British territories of East Africa.

page 145 note 1 Marginal note by Risley: “because the distinction does not exist in Northern Nigeria—all hard labour there”

page 146 note 1 No. 77 of 5.4.06 (Egerton/Elgin), CO. 520/35.

page 147 note 1 Marginal comment by Cox: “It is a first rate Code miraculously drawn up by a most inaccurate man”.

page 147 note 2 Marginal comment by Risley: “Isn't it wonderful? There are also text books on English criminal law and even judicial decisions thereon”.

page 147 note 3 Marginal comment by Risley: “Only Eastern Colonies”.

page 147 note 4 Marginal comment by Risley: “Not if you are to introduce Indian modifications of criminal law into places where the law of England unadulterated has been in force for generations—e.g. West Indies”.

page 147 note 5 Marginal comment by Risley: “Is it an untried Code? No it is not: in substance most of it is many centuries old”.

page 147note 6 Marginal comment by Risley: “Quite right too. The law of England should be good enough for West Africa”.

page 148 note 1 It was pointed out in the Colonial Office that, in fact, it was not the policy to recruit officers for West Africa from the Indian services “if it can be avoided, owing to the difficulties which arise with the Indian Government as regards their pension contributions”.

page 148 note 2 Marginal comment by Risley: “The Q,. Code is practically the lawof England of which a vast majority of West African judicial officers have (it is to be hoped), some ‘experience’!”

page 148 note 3 Marginal comment by Risley: “The Q. Code also has careful definitions”.

page 148 note 4 Marginal comment by Risley: “But not before it was drafted”.

page 148 note 5 Sydney Olivier (K.C.M.G. 1907), Principal Clerk 1904 to 1907, when appointed Governor of Jamaica.

page 148 note 6 Reginald Laurence Antrobus (K.C.M.G. 1911), Assistant Under-Secretary 1898–1909.

page 149 note 1 Enclosure to dispatch of 9.9.15 (Lugard/Bonar Law), CO. 583/36.

page 149 note 2 See Colonial Office minute of 3.9.15, CO. 583/35.

page 149 note 3 Cited above.

page 150 note 1 Letter from the Society to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, 11.10.15, G.O.583/42.

page 150 note 2 Nigerian Pioneer of 10.9.15.

page 151 note 1 Enclosed with dispatch of 13.12.15 (Lugard/Bonar Law), C.O. 583/39.

page 151 note 2 Dispatch of 13.12.15, cited above.

page 151 note 1 Dispatch of 17.5.16 (Lugard/Bonar Law), CO. 583/46.

page 151 note 1 Henry Grattan Bushe (K.C.M.G. 1936), Legal Assistant 1917–1931, Legal Adviser 1931–1941.