Crime and Justice
Justice is concerned with human relationship and respect of mutual rights of people.
Injustices on the other hand are the beaked own of relationship.
Traditional ideas of justice
In African tradition is not just equal treatment of all but is concerned with peoples needs. Basic needs of each person are met by society .
All people were meant to get what was sufficient to keep them happy .
The principle of justice was more or less one of equal suffering or enjoyment.
Every behaviour was based on human needs as man is the centre of all activities e.g. a hungry was free to eat from another man's garden .
Elders and chiefs made sure there was harmony with judicial and reconciliatory functions.
They restored harmony and solved conflicts not with aim of revenge but to reconcile.
They had flexible codes of law and were based on circumstances of particular cases.
Each person was a number of the entire group and his dignity respected There was little, if any, individualism, because they had no opportunity for individuals to protest.
Individual success was discouraged but people lived as a community i.e. 'I am because you are and since you are therefore I am.'
The society was to move forward in one piece and so selfishness was discouraged.
The women and children had less rights than men especially elders .
Religious beliefs, taboos were put in place maintain justice and to police the expected behaviour.
The local chiefs settled disputes and in case of severe offences sacrifice offering was called for.
Proverbs, riddles and sayings were composed to warn people against committing crimes e.g. Omutto tasheka bulema (don't laugh at people who are lame -Ankole)
Some criminals were isolated, some were banished for a period oftime e.g. fathers when Okonkwo killed a kinsman .
Sometimes justice was administered with harsh punishment e.g. a pregnant girl in Buganda would be taken and abandoned on lonely Island.
Democracy was observed where decision making was done by consensus.
Biblical teaching on Justice
In the Old Testament, the covenant law helped to safeguard justice; it was a reference.
Relationships in Israelite community were guided by the word of God (Ex 23: 1-8).
Right from creation story in Gen 1 and 2 God want people to live in good relationship with him, each other and rest of creation.
In order to experience God's love e.g. in Ex 22:21-27 Israelites one led to realise that they should respect others e.g. the poor, the weak, despised and oppressed.
In 2 Sam 12:1-15 prophets Nathan condemned David for taking over Uriah's wife and causing his death.
Isa 58:1-12, denounces the tendency to substitute obedience to laws and religious for brotherly concern.
Amos and Jeremiah, Ezekiel castigates immorality unjust treatment of the poor and underprivileged.
In New Testament 21: 1-12 Jesus healed relationships between people and God by removing the root causes of injustices i.e. man's sin.
Jesus invites people to go beyond the laws i.e. loving their fellowmen with the kind of love the father has for them (Mt. 2: 17 -48).
Jesus respected rights of the women caught in adultery and cautioned anyone intending to harm her to first judge oneself.
Jesus associated with outcasts and dreaded owes in society i.e. the lepers, the poor, prostitutes, the women with unclean disease, the sick.
Above all, the greatest commandment thus: love your neighbour as you love yourself.