JUSTICE Bala Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Monday granted a Remand Order to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to remand John Yusuf, a convict and former Assistant Director in the Federal Civil Service who stole over N32.8 billion Police Pension Fund in Kuje Correctional Service.
Dele Oyewale, spokesperson of the Commission confirmed this to The ICIR in a text message, adding that Yusuf who has been on the run for a while was rearrested in Gombe State by operatives of the anti-corruption agency.
Yusuf was accused of stealing N32.8 billion from the Police Pension Fund. The theft was uncovered by the Senate Joint Committee on Public Service and Establishment. The Committee was investigating Abdulrasheed Maina, head of the Pension Reform Task team at the time.
EFCC had on March 21, 2018, secured a “re-conviction” of Yusuf for a six-year jail term and N22.9 billion fine.
The Commission also obtained a remand order that would enable Yusuf to serve his six-year jail term in Kuje prison as directed by the court of appeal in Abuja.
In a judgement delivered on March 22, 2018, the court of appeal had reversed an earlier judgment of FCT high court and sentenced Yusuf to a cumulative term of six years (two-year per count on a three-count charge).
Abubakar Talba, a judge of the FCT high court, had initially ruled that Yusuf serve a two-year jail term with the option of a N750,000 fine. After the ruling, the National Judicial Council (NJC) suspended Talba for 12 months without pay.
Justice Talba was suspended from office following the findings by the Council that he did not exercise his discretion judicially and judiciously with regard to the sentences he passed on one of the accused persons, John Yakubu Yusuf, in the police pension case of FRN Vs Esai Dangabar and five others,” the council said at the time.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94