Prosecuting Strategic Corruption: Impact on the Integrity of Criminal Justice and Potential Risks of Non-Trial Resolutions in Sub-Saharan African States
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The concept of strategic corruption, though not entirely new in practice, has recently gained attention as a distinct phenomenon that blurs the lines between state and corporate interests, setting it apart from ordinary transnational corruption. Defined as the use of financial or other incentives by state agents to abuse their power for the strategic benefit of the foreign corrupting state, strategic corruption is particularly challenging to address within existing legal frameworks. This paper examines the complexities of legally defining and addressing strategic corruption. It highlights the key value of the concept by re-examining the evolution of Anti-Corruption Criminal Law (ACCL), emphasizing the influence of geopolitical considerations. The paper then critically assesses the role that Non-Trial Resolutions (NTRs), one of the latest innovations in ACCL, could play in addressing strategic corruption and its possible risks. Building on these findings, the paper explores the potential implications of expanding NTRs to Sub-Saharan African states, where existing institutional weaknesses could amplify the associated risks.
Source: Public Integrity
Authors: Nadja Capus, Martin Chipofya
Institutions: University of Neuchâtel, Malawi Government
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4409726347