A Legal Appraisal of the Status of Vicarious Liability in Customary Criminal Law in Nigeria

Abstract

Away from what constitutes crime under the Received English Law, crime under the Nigerian customary criminal law are those norms, values and native standards, a breach of which affects the social and corporate existence of the people subject to the laws. As distinct from the object of crime, being punishment, under Received English law, the object of crime under Nigerian customary law jurisprudence goes beyond punishment. Objects such as harmony, restitution, compensation and social equilibrium are more of the objects of crime under Nigerian customary criminal jurisprudence This paper will briefly look at crime under customary law and the concept of vicarious liability under the Received English Criminal law. Vicarious liability under customary criminal will be expounded and particular offence(s) which attract(s) vicarious liability under customary criminal law, ex-rayed.