*As apex court directs him to refund N22.9bn to FG
In what can be regarded as ensuring that the course of justice is served, the Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed the Court of Appeal judgment, which sentenced a former Federal Director of Pensions, Mr John Yusuf, to six years imprisonment for misappropriation of N22.9 billion police pension fund.
Justice of Supreme Court (JSC), Justice Tijjani Abubakar, in his lead judgment over an appeal by Yusuf, challenging the propriety of the Court of Appeal decision, upheld the lower court’s decision.
Justice Abubakar further held that the judgment of the Court of Appeal against the pension thief, John Yusuf, was in order.
According to Justice Abubakar, Yusuf and his fraudulent types, must be told in clear language through court judgments that it was no longer business as usual.
The JSC further held that the appeal by the former Federal Pension Director, seeking to set aside the six years jail term against him was frivolous, vexatious and devoid of merit.
The apex court also held that victims of the convicted director deserved restitution which could only be achieved through justice.
But the Supreme Court in its unanimous judgment held that the 2016 judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court which sentenced Yusuf to two years imprisonment with an option of N750, 000 fine was a slap on the wrist.
Justice Abubakar further held that the plea bargain at the high court and the ruling of Justice Abubakar Talba “was not only bizarre, embarrassing but ridiculous and unacceptable”.
The JSC then said, “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.
“I have carefully read the case of the appellant, 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”.
Theideal recalls that 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 arrangement, sentenced John Yusuf to two years imprisonment with an option of N750.000 fine which he promptly paid and escaped imprisonment.
The EFCC operatives also rearrested John Yusuf at the court premises as he was attempting to walk away as a free man, having paid the ridiculous fine imposed by Justice Talba.
The EFCC further took a step over the ridiculous sentence and approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, asking it to set aside the judgment of Justice Talba and the miscarriage of justice.
Rising to expectations, the Court of Appeal had in its 2018 judgment, set aside the plea bargain.
The appellate court further sentenced John Yusuf to six years imprisonment without option of fine and also ordered him to refund the N22.9 billion to the coffer of the Federal Government.
Dissatisfied, with the Court of Appeal verdict, Yusuf approached the Supreme Court, asking the apex court to set aside the Court of Appeal’s judgment on the grounds of gross mis-carriage of justice.
Yusuf also urged the apex court to overturn the six years imprisonment and the reverse its order against him.
