…..Orders Refund Of N22.9bn To FG
The Supreme Court has ordered a former Federal Director of Pensions, Mr John Yusuf to refund to the Federal Government, the sum of N22.9billion meant for the police pension fund.
The Apex court in it’s judgment on Wednesday, affirmed the six years jail term to Yusuf for frittering the said fund.
Justice Tijjani Abubakar in his judgment in an appeal filed by Yusuf upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal which had in 2018 sentenced him to six years imprisonment.
The appellate court also ordered Yusuf to refund the stolen money.
The Supreme court held that Yusuf and others who are engaging in fraudulent practices must understand in clear language through court judgments that it is no longer business as usual.
Justice Abubakar held that the appeal of Yusuf seeking to set aside the six years jail term against him was “frivolous, vexatious and devoid of merit”.
Justice Abubakar adopted the judgment of the Court of Appeal which imposed six years jail term on the former pension Director and also directed him to make a refund of N22.9B to the federal government.
“I have carefully perused the case of the appellant (Yusuf). I found it to be frivolous, vexatious and devoid of merit.
“I make an order dismissing the appeal and affirming the findings and conclusion of the Court below”, the Supreme Court Justice said.
The Supreme Court in the unanimous judgment held that the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court which in 2016 sentenced Yusuf to two years imprisonment with an option of N750, 000 was a slap on the wrist.
Justice Abubakar said that the plea bargain at the high court and ruling of the Judge on it was not only bizarre, embarrassing but ridiculous and unacceptable.
The apex court said that the sentence at the high court was meagre, insufficient and ridiculous in view of the huge negative impacts the fraudulent action of the convict must have caused the pensioners.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC had arraigned Yusuf before FCT High Court in 2016 where he admitted committing the fraud and subsequently entered into a plea bargain with the anti graft agency.
Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT high court had upon the plea bargain. sentenced the former director to two years imprisonment with an option of N750.000 fine which he promptly paid and escaped imprisonment.
