UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

SCHOOL OF LAW

Course Title: Criminal Law I

Course Code: GPR 105
Contact Hours: 45 Hrs
Prerequisite: None
Course Instructor : Dr. Evelyne Asaala
Contact Information: asaalaevelyne@gmail.com

Purpose of the Course:

To familiarize students with the key principles of criminal law and to acquaint them with the social
context in which it operates.

Course Content:

Definition and characteristics of criminal law; sources of criminal law; theoretical foundations of criminal
law; elements of crime; strict liability; burden and standard of proof; criminal responsibility; parties to
offences; presumptions; general rules to criminal responsibility; general defenses; incitement, conspiracy
and attempt.

Expected Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this course, the learner should be able to:

1. Distinguish criminal actions from other wrongful actions.
2. Articulate the key principles of criminal liability.
3. Analyze the values and principles informing criminal law.
4. Discuss the general principles of criminal liability, such as actus reus, mens rea, presumptions.
5. Explain the general defenses in criminal law.
Mode of Delivery:
Lectures; Tutorials; Case Method; Seminar discussions; Individual Student and Group Presentations;
Problem based learning; Moot Courts.

Instructional Materials and/or Equipment:

Computers; Internet; Laws; Law Reports; Discussion Aids; Chalk/white boards and necessary
accompaniments; Library; DVDs; DVDS; CD-ROM; E-databases: Lexis-Nexis; Hein Online; JSTOR.

Course Assessment:

Type Weighting (%)

Examination 70
Continuous Assessment 30
Total 100

Core Reading Materials for the Course:

1. David Ormerod, Smith and Hogan’s Criminal Law: Cases and Materials (Oxford University
Press, 2015)
2. William Musyoka, Criminal Law (Nairobi: LawAfrica, 2013)

Recommended Reference Materials:

1. Smith,J.C. & B. Hogan, Criminal Law (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011,
10th Ed)

2. Dennis Baker, GlanvilleWilliams Textbook on Criminal Law (London: Sweet &

Maxwell, 2015)

3. Card, Cross & Jones, Criminal Law (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014,
21stEd)

4. Clarkson,C.M.V. & HM. Keating, Criminal Law: Texts and Materials (London:
Sweet & Maxwell, 2014, 8thEd.)

5. Collingwood, J.J.R., Criminal Law of East and Central Africa (London: Sweet &
Maxwell, 1967)

6. Mushanga, T., Crime and Deviance: An Introduction to Criminology (Nairobi:

East African Literature Bureau, 1976).

7. Williams, Katherine S. Textbook on Criminology (London: Blackstone Press,

5th Edition, 2004)

8. Easton,S. & C. Piper, Sentencing and Punishment (Oxford: Oxford University

Press, 2005)

9. Muga Erasto, Crime and Delinquency in Kenya, (Nairobi: East African

Literature Bureau, 1975)

10.Robinson, P. H., Criminal Law (New York: Aspen Publishers, 1997)

 11.Kaplan, Weisberg & Binder, Criminal Law: Cases and Materials (New York:
Aspen Publishers 8th Edition 2016)

12.Seidman, Robert, A Sourcebook of the Criminal Law of Africa (London: Sweet

& Maxwell, 1966)

13.Padfield, Nicola, Criminal Law Core Text Series (Oxford University Press, 10th
Edition, 2016)

14.Clifford, William, An Introduction to African Criminology (Nairobi: Oxford

University Press, 1974).

15.Rod Morgan, Robert Reiner, The Oxford Handbook of Criminology (Oxford:

Oxford University Press, 6th Edition, 2017)

16.Jones, Stephen, Criminology (London: Butterworths, 6 th Edition, 2017).

17.Cross, Rupert, Punishment, Prison and the Public (London: Stevens & Sons,
The Hamlyn Lectures 23rd Series, 1971).

18.Oruka, Odera, Punishment and Terrorism in Africa: Problems in the

Philosophy and Practice of Punishment (Nairobi: East African Literature
Bureau, 1985).

Legislation:

1. Constitution of Kenya, 2010

2. Penal Code (Cap 63 Laws of Kenya)
3. Sexual Offences Act, 2006
4. Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 75 Laws of Kenya)
5. Evidence Act (Cap 80 Laws of Kenya)

COURSE CONTENT

TOPIC 1: INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL LAW

(a) Characteristics of criminal law

(b) Objectives of criminal law
(c) Definition of a crime (characteristics)
 Crimes as public wrongs
 Crimes as moral wrongs (Libertarianism, legal paternalism, legal moralism)
 Crimes versus civil wrongs
(d) Public order versus individual liberty in the application of criminal law
(e) Criminal proceedings

Reading Material

Patrick Devlin, “Morals and the Criminal Law” in The Enforcement of Morals (1965),
excerpts reproduced in Clarkson & Keating, Chapter 1.

H.L.A. Hart, “Immorality and Treason” (1959) 62 Listener 162-63, excerpts reproduced
Clarkson & Keating, Chapter 1.

H.L.A. Hart, Law, Liberty and Morality, (New York, Vantage Books, 1963)

Glanville Williams, “The Definition of Crime” (1955) 8 Current Legal Problems 107

Shaw v. DPP [1962] A.C. 220: [1961] All E.R. 446

R. v. Brown [1993]1 AC 212

TOPIC 2: THE SOURCES CRIMINAL LAW

 The Constitution
 The Common Law
 Legislation
 Customary Law
 International Law

Readings Material

William Musyoka, Criminal Law (Nairobi: LawAfrica, 2013) pg 15-23

George Dery, Criminal Law (2017): Chapter One pg 10-15

TOPIC 3: ELEMENTS OF CRIME

(1) Classification
a) Mental (Mens Rea)
b) Physical (Actus Reus)
c) Conduct
d) Result
(2) Crime content
a) Actus Reus
i) Commission
ii) Omission
iii) Conduct

Proof of Actus Reus

Larsonneur (1933) 24 Cr. App. Rep. 74

Deller (1952) 36 Cr. App. Rep. 184
Dadson (1850) 2 Den. 35
Bratty v. A-G Northern Ireland [1963] A.C. 386

b) Mens Rea

Presumption of mens rea

Sweet v. Parsley [1970] A.C. 132

Intention
Mohan [1976] 1 Q.B. 1; [1975] 2 All E.R. 193
Moloney [1985] A.C. 905; [1985] 1 All E.R. 1025
Nedrick [1986] 3 All E.R. 1; [1986] 1 W.L.R. 1025
Woollin [1999] 1 A.C. 82; [1998] 4 All E.R. 103
Steane [1947] K.B. 997; [1947] 1 All E.R. 813

Recklessness
Cunningham [1957] 2 Q.B. 396; [1957] 2 All E.R. 412
Metropolitan Police Commissioner v. Caldwell [1981] 2 W.L.R. 509; [1982] A.C. 341
Elliott v. C (a minor) [1983] 2 All E.R. 1005; [1983] 1 W.L.R. 939
G & Another [2003] 4 All E.R. 765; [2003] w.l.r. 1060

Negligence
Adomako [1994]

Transferred Malice
Latimer (1886) 17 Q.B.D. 359; [1886-90] All E.R. 386
Pembliton(1874) L.R. 2 C.C.R. 119; (1874) Coc C.C. 607

Strict Liability
R v. Prince (1875) L.R. 2 C.C.R. 154
Cundy v. Le Cocq (1884) 13 Q.B.D. 207
Sherras v. De Rutzen [1895] 1 Q.B. 918
Copperfields Cold Storage Co. Ltd. v. R. 5 N.R.L.R. 248
Nzoli v. R [1951] E.A. 575 (K)
Lim Chin Aik v. R [1963] A.C. 160

TOPIC 4: BURDEN AND STANDARD OF PROOF

a) The burden of proof

i) The general burden
ii) Exceptions to the general burden
Insanity defense
Statutory burden of proof upon accused
Negative averment
b) Standard of proof
i) Upon the prosecution (beyond reasonable doubt)
ii) Upon the defense (balance of probabilities)
C) Burden of adducing evidence
i) On the prosecution
ii) On the defense
Cases:
Woolmington v. DPP [1935] A.C. 462; [1935] All E.R. 1
Okole v. R [1965] E.A. 555
Sodeman v. R [1936] 2 All E.R. 1138
R v. Carr-Bryant [1943] K.B. 607; [1943] 2 All E.R. 156
R v. Oliver [1944] K.B. 68; [1943] 2 All E.R. 800
Mancini v. DPP [1942] A.C. 1; [1941] 3 All E.R. 272
R v. Macpherson (1957) 41 Cr. App. Rep. 213
R v. Gill [1963] 1 W.L.R. 841

Presumptions
Presumptions of Law
- Irrebuttable presumptions of law
- Rebuttable presumptions of law
Presumptions of Fact

TPOIC 5: GENERAL RULES TO CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY

 i) Ignorance of the law/Mistake of law
ii) Bonafide claim of right
iii) Acts independent of the will
iv) Accidents
v) Oblique results
vi) Motive
viii)Insanity
ix) Intoxication
x) Immature age/infancy
xi) Compulsion

TOPIC 6: PARTIES TO OFFENCES

A) Principal Offenders
i) The perpetrator
ii) The aider/abettor
iii) The counselor or procurer
B) Joint offenders and Common intention
C) Complicity, Consort and Conspiracy
i) Accessories
ii) Neglect to prevent a felony
D) Vicarious liability

TOPIC 7: GENERAL DEFENCES

A. Infancy
i) Children under 8 years
ii) Children between 8-12 years
iii) Children above 12 years
iv)Boys under the age of 12
Statutes
S. 8, Penal Code
SS. 187, 191, Children’s Act, 2001
Cases
R v. Kershaw (1902) 18 T.L.R. 357
R v. Waite [1892] 2 Q.B. 600

B. Insanity
i) At the material time
ii) At the trial
Section 13, Penal Code
Cases
M’Naghten’s Case (1843) 10 C & F 200
R v. Burgess [1991] 2 Q.B. 92
R v. Kemp [1957] 1 Q.B. 399
Oyee s/o Duru v. R [1959] E.A. 407
R v. Magata s/o Kachehakana [1957] E.A. 330
R v. Windle [1952] 2 Q.B. 826
R v. Muswi s/o Musele 23 E.A.C.A. 622
R v. Sullivan [1984] A.C. 156
R v. Phiri 5 N.R.L.R. 184
R v. Kabande w/o Kihigwe 15 E.A.C.A. 135

C. Provocation

D. Intoxication
Section 13, Penal Code

Cases
DPP v. Beard [1920] A.C. 479
R v. Majewski [1977] A.C. 443
A-G for Northern Ireland v. Gallagher [1961] 3 All E.R. 299
R v. Retief 8 E.A.C.A. 71
Cheminingwav. R 23 E.A.C.A. 451
R v. Moore (1852) 3 C & K 451
Kinuthia s/o Kamauv. R 17 E.A.C.A 137
R v. Chilwa 5 N.R.L.R. 212
R v. Pengaunusu s/o Mwendagumo 10 E.A.C.A. 47
Woods [1981] 74 Cr. App. Rep. 312
O’Grady [1987] Q.B. 995

E.Defense of person or property

F.Claim of right
G.Accident
I. Mistake of fact
J.Necessity
K. Superior orders
L.Duress and coercion
M.Impossibility

TOPIC 8: INCITEMENT, CONSPIRACY AND ATTEMPT

A) Conspiracy
a) The men rea
i) Conditional intention
ii) Conditional intention
iii) Impossibility
iv) The object
b) The Actus Reus
i) The agreement
ii) Proof of the agreement
iii) Requisite number of parties
B) Incitement
i) Elements of the crime
ii) Mens rea
iii) Impossibility

C) Attempt
i) Mensrea
ii) Recklessness
iii) ActusReus
iv) Negligence and strict liability
v) Attempts and impossibility