1st Edition
Policing and the Rule of Law in Sub-Saharan Africa
This book argues that strengthening policing, and the rule of law is pivotal to promoting human rights, equity, access to justice and accountability in sub-Saharan Africa.
Through a multidisciplinary approach, this book considers the principles of accountability, just laws, open government, and accessible and impartial dispute resolution, in relation to key institutions that deliver and promote the rule of law in selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Chapters examine a range of topics including police abuse of power and the use of force, police-citizen relations, judicial corruption, human rights abuse, brutality in the hands of armed forces, and combating arms proliferation. Drawing upon key institutions that deliver and promote the rule of law in sub-Saharan African countries including, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa, the contributors argue that strengthening policing, security and the rule of law is pivotal to promoting human rights, equity, access to justice and accountability. As scholars from this geographical region, the contributing authors present current realities and first-hand accounts of the challenges in this context.
This book will be of interest to scholars of African studies, criminology and criminal justice, police studies, international law practice, transitional justice, international development, and political science.
Introduction Part I: Rule of Law, Corruption and Abuse of Power 1. Patterns and Prevalence of Corruption in Ghana’s Criminal Justice System, Moses Agaawena Amagnya 2. Police corruption at the traffic checkpoints and roadblocks in Kenya, Gedion Onyango 3. Police-Citizen Relations in Nigeria: Obstacles to Trust and Cooperation with the Police, Oluwagbenga Michael Akinlabi 4. Can We Truly Find a Solution to Ghana’s Corruption Problem? Assessing the Fight Against Corruption and the Effectiveness of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Moses Agaawena Amagnya and Oluwagbenga Michael Akinlabi Part II: Policing, Emerging Challenges and Reform 5. "Very Organized and Hard for Us to Detect": The Botswana Police Service’s Struggle against Sex Trade, Trafficking in Persons and Cybercrimes, Lesedi Mashumba, Moses Agaawena Amagnya, and Oluwagbenga Michael Akinlabi 6. Policing Rural Kenya: Practices and Challenges, Emmanuel K. Bunei and Oluwagbenga Michael Akinlabi 7. ‘Are we there yet or chasing shadows’: policing gang violence in contemporary South Africa, Paul Oluwatosin Bello 8. A Critical Evaluation of Police Reforms in Kenya, Joseph Kipkemboi Rono Part III: Rule of Law, Rights and Judicial Processes 9. Reconstructing the Rule of Law: Rights, Justice, and Plurality in Madagascar, Olivia Lwabukuna 10. Immunity Ratione Personae of Foreign State Officials before Rwandan Criminal Courts, Evode Kayitana Conclusion
Biography
Oluwagbenga Michael Akinlabi is an Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northumbria University in the United Kingdom. He has a PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Griffith University in
Australia. He was previously educated in his home country, Nigeria, as well as at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom. He has successfully attracted more than 17 scholarships, grants, recognition and awards in Nigeria, United
Kingdom and Australia: including the prestigious British Commonwealth Scholarships, Australian Postgraduate Awards, and the Australian Government’s Endeavour Executive Fellowships.
