Title of article: Corporate Criminal Responsibility – Nigeria in Comparative Perspective
Authors:
Gabriel Omo Arishe, LL.B (Hons), LL.M (Benin) B.L.; PhD (Benin); Lecturer, Department of Public Law, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.
Samuel Chukwuma Okoli, LL.B (Hons), LL.M (Aberdeen) Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
ABSTRACT:
In spite of vigorous debate on the subject, corporate criminal responsibility is now an established principle of criminal law. The extent of application however differs from country to country; the distinction being the application of either a separate criminal code for corporations or the use of the same criminal provisions to ascribe criminal responsibility to individuals. This paper examines whether the mens rea principle required of an individual is equally applicable to the mens rea of a corporate organization. The paper appreciates the difficulty in ascertaining the efficacy of sanctions on corporate bodies rather than individuals.