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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Supreme Court has affirmed the six years imprisonment imposed on a former Federal Director of Pensions (FDP), Mr John Yakubu Yusuf, for misappropriating N22.9 billion police pension fund.
In a unanimous judgment delivered, yesterday, the apex court further ordered him to refund the N22.9 billion to the federal government covers.
Justice Tijjani Abubakar, who read the judgment in an appeal filed by Yusuf, upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal which, in 2018, sentenced him to six years imprisonment, in addition to ordering him to refund the huge sum.
He held that Yusuf and others engaging in fraudulent practices must be told in clear language, through court judgments, that it is no longer business as usual.
Justice Abubakar said that the appeal of the former federal pension director seeking to set aside the six years jail term against him was frivolous, vexatious and devoid of merit.
He further held that victims of the convicted director deserved restitution which can only be achieved through justice.
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.
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 N22.9 billion to the federal government.
