S’Court Orders Ex-pension director Yakubu To Refund N22.9bn, Upholds Six-year Jail Term

Nigeria’s Supreme Court has on Wednesday upheld six years imprisonment sentence slammed on John Yakubu, former director of Pensions, Ministry of Police Affairs, by an appeal Court in 2018.

The apex court also ordered Yakubu to pay the sum of N22.9 billion as fine to the Federal Government.

Yakubu was convicted for stealing N25 billion in police pension fund by Abuja High Court in 2013.

After pleading guilty to the charge, brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he was sentenced to two years imprisonment by the High Court with an option of N750,000 fine which he paid and was set free.

The judgment then received wide criticism for be a mere scratch of his skin compared to what was stolen.

EFCC consequently, filed an appeal against the judgment, and in 2018, the Court of Appeal held that the sentences handed to Yakubu was lenient compared to gravity of the crime committed and therefore, set aside the ruling, imposing heavier punishment of six years imprisonment.

Yakubu made attempts to have the Appeal Court judgement overturned by the Supreme Court.

But the apex on court on Wednesday, through a five-man panel of justices agreed with the judgment of the Appeal Court.

Justice Tijjani Abubakar who read the lead judgment said, “Considering the humongous amount stolen, the nature and gravity of the crime and its destructive effect on the country and its impact on retired police officers and the grave breach of public trust, a severe sentence that would deter the further commission of such a crime and prevent the convict from retaining any part of what he stole to avoid him obtaining financial benefit from his crime should be imposed.”