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The Downfall of the Mandatory Death Penalty in Kenya

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2019

Lilian Chenwi
Lilian Chenwi*
Affiliation:
University of the Witwatersrand
*
lilian.chenwi@wits.ac.za
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Abstract

The retention and use of the death penalty, especially the mandatory death penalty, continues to be an issue of controversy and concern in Africa and elsewhere. Accordingly, African states are slowly but increasingly moving away from the death penalty, with many of them abolishing it either de facto or de jure, or limiting its use, with some finding its mandatory application to be unlawful. This article considers the recent Supreme Court of Kenya decision that declared the mandatory nature of the death penalty as provided for under the country's Penal Code to be unconstitutional. However, it argues that, while declaring the mandatory death penalty to be unconstitutional is commendable and a promising step on the path towards the abolition of the death penalty, the death penalty remains available as a punishment, with serious human rights implications if procedural safeguards are not followed.

Keywords

Death penaltydeath rowdeath sentencecapital offencelife imprisonmentfair trial
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of African Law , Volume 63 , Issue 1 , February 2019 , pp. 25 - 51
Copyright
Copyright © SOAS, University of London 2019 

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Footnotes

*

Professor, School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

References

1 HRC “General comment no 36 on article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, on the Right to life” (124th session, 2018), UN doc CCPR/C/GC/36 (2018), para 50.

2 African Commission “General comment no 3 on the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights: The right to life (article 4)” (57th ordinary session, 2015), para 22, available at: <http://www.achpr.org/files/instruments/general-comments-right-to-life/general_comment_no_3_english.pdf> (last accessed 22 October 2018).

3 HRC “General comment no 36”, above at note 1, para 50 (footnotes omitted). This position, as stated by the HRC, is reaffirmed by article 6(6) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966, which prohibits the invocation of the right to life provision “to delay or to prevent the abolition of capital punishment by any State Party to the present Covenant”. See also ICCPR-OP2, preamble.

4 ICCPR-OP2, preamble. Of the 85 state parties to this protocol, 14 are African (Benin, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, South Africa and Togo), with an additional two that have only signed it (Angola and Gambia).

5 African Commission “General comment no 3”, above at note 2, para 22.

6 See Anyangwe, C “Emerging African jurisprudence suggesting the desirability of the abolition of capital punishment” (2015) 23/1 African Journal of International and Comparative Law 1CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

7 See for example, Council of Europe “Exchange of views on the question of abolition of capital punishment” (Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, Warsaw 11–22 September 2017,  working session 12, HDIM.IO/0021/2017/EN, 11 September 2017), available at: <https://www.osce.org/odihr/342976?download=true> (last accessed 22 October 2018); Hnidka, R “European perspective and legal framework of death penalty” (2016) 1/4 Izzivi Prihodnosti 159Google Scholar; Inter-American Commission on Human Rights “The death penalty in the Inter-American human rights system: From restrictions to abolition” (31 December 2011), OEA/Ser.L/V/II doc 68, available at: <https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/docs/pdf/deathpenalty.pdf> (last accessed 22 October 2018).

8 African Commission “General comment no 3”, above at note 2, para 24.

9 Novak, A “Capital sentencing discretion in southern Africa: A human rights perspective on the doctrine of extenuating circumstances in death penalty cases” (2014) 14/1 African Human Rights Law Journal 24 at 25Google Scholar and 28.

10 Pagdayawon Rolando v Philippines comm no 1110/2002, UN doc CCPR/C/82/D/1110/2002 (2004), para 5.2; Eversley Thompson v St Vinvent and the Grenadines comm no 806/1998, UN doc CCPR/C/70/D/806/1998 (2000), para 8.2.

11 HRC “General comment no 36”, above at note 1, para 37.

12 Novak “Capital sentencing discretion”, above at note 9 at 25.

13 Petition nos 15 and 16 of 2015 (consolidated), judgment of 14 December 2017, [2017] eKLR.

14 AI collects information “from a variety of sources, including: official figures; information from individuals sentenced to death and their families and representatives; reporting by other civil society organizations; and media reports”. It ensures reasonable confirmation of the information it receives. See AI “Global report: Death sentences and executions 2017” AI Index: ACT 50/7955/2018 (2018) at 4.

15 Id at 5; AI “Global report: Death sentences and executions 2016” AI Index: ACT 50/5740/2017 (2017) at 42.

16 AI “Death sentences and executions 2017”, above at note 14 at 6 and 7; AI “Death sentences and executions 2016”, above at note 15 at 4 and 5.

17 “Abolitionist in practice” states have not carried out executions in the past ten years and are thought to have established a practice or policy of not carrying out executions.

18 Retentionist states retain the death penalty for ordinary crimes.

19 AI “Death sentences and executions 2017”, above at note 14 at 40−41.

20 The working group is also mandated to “[c]ollect information and continue to monitor the situation of the application of the Death Penalty in African States”. See African Commission “Resolution 79: Resolution on the composition and the operationalization of the working group on the death penalty” (38th ordinary session, 2005) ACHPR/Res.79 (XXXVIII) 05.

21 African Union “62nd ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights: Inter-session activity report (December 2017 – April 2018)” (presented by Commissioner KZ Sylvie, Nouakchott, Mauritania, 25 April – 9 May 2018), para 17. In fact, available reports indicate that the last known executions took place in these states as follows: Comoros in 1997, DRC in 2003, Lesotho in 1995 and Zimbabwe in 2005; see World Coalition Against the Death Penalty “Worldwide database”, available at: <http://www.worldcoalition.org/worldwide-database.html> (last accessed 22 October 2018); Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide “Death penalty database”, available at: <http://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/> (last accessed 22 October 2018).

22 AI “Death sentences and executions 2017”, above at note 14 at 30–32 and 34–37; AI “Death sentences and executions 2016”, above at note 15 at 8, 30−31 and 35−36. As the report focuses on north and sub-Saharan Africa, there could have been executions and death sentences imposed in other parts of Africa that are not recorded in the report. See also African Union “62nd ordinary session of African Commission”, above at note 21, para 22.

23 AI “Death sentences and executions 2017”, above at note 14 at 30−32 and 34−37; AI “Death sentences and executions 2016”, above at note 15 at 30−32 and 35−39.

24 AI “Death sentences and executions 2017”, ibid; AI “Death sentences and executions 2016”, id at 30−31 and 35−36.

25 African Union “62nd ordinary session of African Commission”, above at note 21, para 23.

26 African Commission “Resolution 42: Resolution urging states to envisage a moratorium on death penalty” (26th ordinary session, 1999) ACHPR/Res.42(XXVI)9; African Commission “Resolution 136: Resolution calling on state parties to observe a moratorium on the death penalty” (44th ordinary session, 2008) ACHPR/Res.136(XXXXIIII).08.

27 African Commission “Resolution 79”, above at note 20.

28 The Kigali Framework Document on the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Africa, adopted by the First Sub-Regional Conference for Central, Eastern and Southern Africa on the Question of the Death Penalty in Africa in Kigali, Rwanda (25 September 2009); The Cotonou Framework Document Towards the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Africa, adopted by the Second Regional Conference for North and West Africa on the Question of the Death Penalty in Africa, adopted in Cotonou, Benin (15 April 2010); final declaration of the African Congress, adopted by the Third Regional Congress Against the Death Penalty, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (10 April 2018).

29 Adopted at its 56th session, 21 April – 7 May 2015. See AU “Final communiqué of the 56th ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights” (Banjul, The Gambia, 21 April – 7 May 2015) at 9.

30 AI “Death sentences and executions 2015” AI Index: ACT 50/3487/2016 (2016) at 12.

31 AU “62nd ordinary session of African Commission”, above at note 21, paras 16 and 32.

32 AU “61st ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights: Inter-session activity report (June – November 2017)” (presented by Commissioner KZ Sylvie, Banjul, The Gambia, 1–15 November 2017), para 21.

33 AU “59th ordinary session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights: Inter-session activity report (May – October 2016)” (presented by Commissioner KZ Sylvie, Banjul, The Gambia, 21 October – 4 November 2016), para 13; AI “Death sentences and executions 2017”, above at note 14 at 10.

34 AU “62nd ordinary session of African Commission”, above at note 21, paras 18–19 and 21; AI “Death sentences and executions 2017”, above at note 14 at 11 and 35.

35 Anyangwe “Emerging African jurisprudence”, above at note 6 at 2.

36 African Commission “General comment no 3”, above at note 2, para 22.

37 Id, para 23.

38 Id, para 24.

39 Duxbury, A “Saving lives in the International Court of Justice: The use of provisional measures to protect human rights” (2000) 31/1 California Western International Law Journal 141Google Scholar; Pasqualucci, JM The Practice and Procedure of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (2003, Cambridge University Press) at 324CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

40 Guehi v Tanzania appln no 001/2015, order for provisional measures (18 March 2016); Rajabu and Others v Tanzania appln no 007/2015, order for provisional measures (18 March 2016); Lazaro v Tanzania appln no 003/2016, order for provisional measures (18 March 2016); Rutechura v Tanzania appln no 004/2016, order for provisional measures (18 March 2016); Augustino and Another v Tanzania appln no 015/2016, order for provisional measures (3 June 2016); Jeshi v Tanzania appln no 017/2016, order for provisional measures (3 June 2016); Faustine v Tanzania appln no 018/2016, order for provisional measures (3 June 2016); Mukwano v Tanzania appln no 021/2016, order for provisional measures (3 June 2016); Juma v Tanzania appln no 024/2016, order for provisional measures (3 June 2016); Damian v Tanzania appln no 048/2016, order for provisional measures (18 November 2016); John v Tanzania appln no 049/2016, order for provisional measures (18 November 2016); Gabriel and Another v Tanzania appln no 050/2016, order for provisional measures (18 November 2016); Zabron v Tanzania appln no 051/2016, order for provisional measures (18 November 2016); Msuguri v Tanzania appln no 052/2016, order for provisional measures (18 November 2016); Josiah v Tanzania appln no 053/2016, order for provisional measures (18 November 2016); Henerico v Tanzania appln no 056/2016, order for provisional measures (18 November 2016); Anatori v Tanzania appln no 057/2016, order for provisional measures (18 November 2016).

41 Johnson v Ghana appln no 016/2017, order for provisional measures (28 September 2017).

42 Id, para 4.

43 Id, para 17.

44 African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights “Report on the activities of the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights: 1 January 31 − December 2016” (AU Executive Council 30th ordinary session, 2017) doc EX.CL/999(XXX), paras 21(ii) and 57.

45 Chenwi, L Towards the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Africa: A Human Rights Perspective (2007, Pretoria University Law Press) at 70–71Google Scholar. The cases were: International Pen and Others (on behalf of Saro-Wiwa) v Nigeria comm nos 137/94, 139/94, 154/96 and 161/97 (2000) AHRLR 212 (ACHPR 1998); and Interights et al (on behalf of Bosch) v Botswana comm no 240/2001 (2003) AHRLR 55 (ACHPR 2003). See also AU “59th ordinary session of the African Commission”, above at note 33, para 15.

46 See Novak, A The Global Decline of the Mandatory Death Penalty: Constitutional Jurisprudence and Legislative Reform in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean (2014, Ashgate)Google Scholar; Novak, A “The abolition of the mandatory death penalty in Africa: A comparative constitutional analysis” (2012) 22/2 Indiana International and Comparative Law Review 267Google Scholar.

47 Novak The Global Decline, id at 1; Novak “The abolition”, id at 267 (focussing on the crime of murder); Cornell Centre on the Death Penalty Worldwide “Mandatory death penalty” (last updated 25 January 2012), available at: <http://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/mandatory-death-penalty.cfm> (last accessed 22 October 2018) (focussing on the mandatory death penalty generally).

48 Novak “The abolition”, ibid.

49 FIDH “Triggers for abolition of the death penalty in Africa: A southern African perspective” (October 2017) at 11, available at: <https://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/death_penalty_in_africa_703a_eng_25_oct_2017_web_ok_ok.pdf> (last accessed 22 October 2018); Novak, id at 268; and Muruatetu, above at note 13, para 67.

50 African Commission “General comment no 3”, above at note 2, para 24.

51 Anyangwe “Emerging African jurisprudence”, above at note 6 at 2 and 20.

52 Novak “The abolition”, above at note 46 at 267.

53 Ibid; Novak “Capital sentencing discretion”, above at note 9 at 33, 35 and 39; FIDH “Triggers for abolition”, above at note 49 at 12.

54 See Johnson v The Republic [2011] 2 SCGLR 601. The decision was based on “a narrow, textual reading of the constitution”; see Novak The Global Decline, above at note 46 at 100.

55 Johnson v Ghana comm no 2177/2012, UN doc CCPR/C/110/D/2177/2012 (2014).

56 Death Penalty Project “Dexter Johnson v The Republic of Ghana” (last updated 28 July 2017), available at: <http://www.deathpenaltyproject.org/news/1911/dexter-johnson-v-the-republic-of-ghana/> (last accessed 22 October 2018).

57 Johnson (African Court), above at note 41.

58 Johnson (HRC), above at note 55, para 7.3.

59 See Novak The Global Decline, above at note 46 at 99–123; Novak “The abolition”, above at note 46 at 279–93.

60 See Kigula and 416 Others v Attorney General constitutional petition no 6 of 2003 [2005] UGCC 8, (2005) AHRLR 197 (UgCC 2005); Attorney General v Kigula and 417 Others constitutional appeal no 3 of 2006 [2009] UGSC 6 (21 January 2009), [2009] 2 EALR 1.

61 For discussion of the case, see Novak “The abolition”, above at note 46 at 282−87; Novak The Global Decline, above at note 46 at 112−15.

62 Kafantayeni v Attorney General constitutional case no 12 of 2005 [2007] MWHC 1.

63 For discussion of the case, see Nkhata, MJ “Bidding farewell to mandatory capital punishment: Francis Kafantayeni and Others v Attorney General” (2007) 1 Malawi Law Journal 103Google Scholar; Novak “The abolition”, above at note 46 at 279–82; Novak The Global Decline, above at note 46 at 111−12.

64 Jacob v Republic criminal appeal no 16 of 2006.

65 Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland Act, 2005, sec 15(2).

66 Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Act (No 20), 2013, art 48(2)(a).

67 Zambia Penal Code Act, chap 87 of the Laws of Zambia, sec 201.

68 Id, sec 294(2)(a).

69 Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill, 2016, art 15(4)(c).

70 C Lumina “Zambia's failed constitutional referendum: What next?” (12 September 2016) Constitutionnet, available at: <http://www.constitutionnet.org/news/zambias-failed-constitutional-referendum-what-next> (last accessed 22 October 2018).

71 Botswana Penal Code, 1964 (Law No 2 of 1964) (as amended up to Act No 14 of 2005), secs 34 and 35, read with sec 40 (on treason) and sec 203 (on murder).

72 Lesotho Penal Code Act, 2010 (Act No 6 of 2012), sec 40(3)(c).

73 Lesotho Sexual Offences Act No 3 of 2003, sec 32(a)(vii) read with sec 31(1).

74 HRC “Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Kenya”, UN doc A/HRC/29/10 (2015), para 83; AI “Death sentences and executions 2017”, above at note 14 at 36.

75 AI “Death sentences and executions 2016”, above at note 15 at 38; AU “61st ordinary session of the African Commission”, above at note 32, para 21.

76 C Rickard “Demise of Kenya's mandatory death penalty” (10 April 2018) Legalbrief, available at: <http://legalbrief.co.za/diary/a-matter-of-justice/story/demise-of-kenyas-mandatory-death-penalty-2/> (last accessed 21 November 2018).

77 AI “Death sentences and executions 2017”, above at note 14 at 7, 34 and 36; AI “Death sentences and executions 2016”, above at note 15 at 5 and 36.

78 AI “Death sentences and executions 2015”, above at note 30 at 12 and 55.

79 UN General Assembly “Resolution 71/187: Moratorium on the use of the death penalty” (19 December 2016), UN doc A/RES/71/187 (2017).

80 HRC “Report of the Working Group”, above at note 74, paras 67, 142 and 143; “2RP: Responses to recommendations & voluntary pledges: Kenya” UPR Info, available at: <https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/kenya/session_21_-_january_2015/recommendations_and_pledges_kenya_2015.pdf> (last accessed 22 October 2018).

81 HRC “Third periodic report of states parties: Kenya”, UN doc CCPR/C/KEN/3 (2011), paras 38 and 141.

82 Id, para 141.

83 HRC “Concluding observations adopted at its 105th session, 9–27 July 2012: Kenya”, UN doc CCPR/C/KEN/CO/3 (2012), para 10.

84 Mutiso v Republic (Mutiso) criminal appeal no 17/2008, [2010] eKLR (Kenya CA). For discussion of this case, see Novak “The abolition”, above at note 46 at 287–93; Novak The Global Decline, above at note 46 at 115−19.

85 Mutiso, id, para 36.

86 Muruatetu, above at note 13, para 70.

87 Mwaura and Others v Republic criminal appeal no 5 of 2008, [2013] eKLR, available at <http://kenyalaw.org/caselaw/cases/view/91626/> (last accessed 21 November 2018).

88 Id at 12.

89 Muruatetu, above at note 13, para 29. Mwaura had a five judge panel while Mutiso had three, so, while Mwaura could, arguably and despite its problematic nature, be seen by some to carry more weight than Mutiso, the latter's holding that the Constitution does not provide for a mandatory death penalty was affirmed by the SCA in Muruatetu (para 52). Also, a three judge panel in Kahinga and 11 Others v Attorney General, petition no 618 of 2010 [2016] eKLR, did not follow Mwaura, on the basis that Mwaura did not address the focus issues in Kahinga, noting (at 35–36 and 40) that “the [Mwaura] decision may have been rendered by the Court without the benefit of the kind of submission that was presented before [the High Court in Kahinga] and also before the Sentencing Policy Guidelines came into effect”. After finding that “mitigation by a convict facing any criminal charge before sentencing is a constitutional imperative of fair trial”, the High Court found the mandatory death penalty to be unconstitutional, as it does not afford a court the opportunity to consider “mitigating circumstances and other statutory pre-sentencing requirements” (at 41 and 42).

90 The Constitution, art 2(5): “The general rules of international law shall form part of the law of Kenya”.

91 Muruatetu, above at note 13, para 70 (emboldening omitted).

92 Id, para 71.

93 Id, para 67.

94 Id, para 2.

95 Id, paras 12 and 13.

96 Id, paras 4 and 6.

97 Id, para 6.

98 Id, para 7.

99 Id, para 12.

100 Id, para 13.

101 Id, para 14.

102 Id, para 12.

103 Id, para 15.

104 Id, para 17.

105 Id, para 1.

106 By Katiba Institute, Death Penalty Project, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, International Commission of Jurists – Kenya Chapter and Legal Resources Foundation.

107 Muruatetu, above at note 13, paras 20 and 23.

108 Id, para 22.

109 Ibid.

110 Id, para 24.

111 Ibid.

112 Id, para 25.

113 Id, para 26.

114 Id, para 66.

115 Id, paras 20 and 74.

116 Id, para 10.

117 Id, para 27 (emboldening omitted).

118 Id, para 83.

119 Id, paras 69 and 112(a).

120 Id, para 64.

121 Ibid.

122 Ibid.

123 Id, paras 27−33, 39, 55, 65 and 83−86.

124 Id, paras 46 and 47.

125 Id, paras 37 and 47.

126 Kenyan Constitution, art 25(c).

127 Muruatetu, above at note 13, para 66.

128 Id, para 38.

129 Id, para 40.

130 Id, para 54.

131 Id, paras 41 and 52.

132 Id, paras 43 and 48.

133 Id, para 66.

134 Id, paras 43 and 44.

135 Id, para 45.

136 Ibid.

137 Id, para 48.

138 Ibid.

139 Id, para 53.

140 Id, paras 49−50.

141 Id, para 56.

142 Ibid.

143 Id, para 59.

144 Id, para 66.

145 Id, para 50.

146 Id, para 51.

147 Ibid.

148 Ibid.

149 Id, para 59.

150 Id, para 56.

151 Id, para 57.

152 Id, para 59.

153 Id, paras 60 and 63.

154 Id, para 63.

155 Ibid.

156 Id, para 62.

157 Id, para 58.

158 Ibid.

159 Id, paras 6 and 20.

160 Id, para 15.

161 Id, para 67.

162 Id, para 79.

163 van Zyl Smit, D “The death penalty in Africa” (2004) 4 African Journal on Human Rights 1 at 12Google Scholar.

164 Muruatetu, above at note 13, para 76.

165 Id, para 77. Prisons Act, rev 2017, chap 90 of the Laws of Kenya.

166 Muruatetu, id, paras 77−78.

167 Id, paras 82−87.

168 Id, para 88.

169 Id, paras 89−90 and 94.

170 Id, paras 91−93 and 95.

171 Id, para 95.

172 Id, para 93.

173 Id, para 96.

174 Id, para 97.

175 Id, para 98.

176 Ibid.

177 Id, paras 99−101.

178 Id, para 102.

179 Id, paras 102−111.

180 Id, para 112(b).

181 Id, para 111.

182 Ibid.

183 Id, para 112(c) (emboldening and italics omitted).

184 Ibid.

185 Id, para 112(a). See also para 69.

186 Id, para 69.

187 Id, para 112(d) (emboldening and italics omitted).

188 Id, para 71 (emboldening and italics omitted).

189 Ibid.

190 Id, para 72.

191 Ibid.

192 Meja (alias Uncle “P”) v Republic (Meja), criminal appeal no 98 of 2015 [2018] eKLR, para 21.

193 Id, paras 1, 2 and 20.

194 Id, para 22.

195 Civil appeal no 56 of 2013 (unreported).

196 Meja, above at note 192, para 22.

197 Id, paras 23–24.

198 T Gerzso “The Supreme Court of Kenya declares the mandatory death penalty unconstitutional” (23 January 2018) World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, available at: <http://www.worldcoalition.org/The-Supreme-Court-of-Kenya-declares-the-mandatory-death-penalty-unconstitutional.html> (last accessed 22 October 2018).

199 AU “62nd ordinary session of the African Commission”, above at note 21, para 20.

200 J Dalton “Wildlife poachers in Kenya ‘to face death penalty’: ‘Life sentence or fines are insufficient deterrents’” Independent (13 May 2018), available at: <https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/poachers-kenya-wildlife-death-penalty-capital-punishment-najib-balala-a8349966.html> (last accessed 22 October 2018).

201 Novak The Global Decline, above at note 46 at 123.

202 Novak “The abolition”, above at note 46 at 293.

203 AI “Kenya: Landmark death penalty judgement must lead to full abolition of cruel punishment” (14 December 2017), available at: <https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/12/kenya-landmark-death-penalty-judgement-must-lead-to-full-abolition-of-cruel-punishment/> (last accessed 21 November 2018).

204 Muruatetu, above at note 13, para 64.