The Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja has refused to upturn the judgment of an appellate court sentencing a former Federal Director of Pensions (FDP,) Mr John Yakubu Yusuf, to six years in prison.
The apex court also ordered him to refund N22.9b to government coffers, describing an appeal by the ex pension boss seeking to vacate the six years jail term against him as frivolous, vexatious and lacking in merit.
The N22.9b huge sum was part of the police pension fund he confessed before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory FCT to have been misappropriated.
Justice Tijjani Abubakar ruling in an appeal filed by Yusuf, on Wednesday, upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal which in 2018 sent him to six years imprisonment, in addition to the refund of the huge sum.
The apex court opined that Yusuf and others engaging in fraudulent practices must face the full wrath of the law, adding that individuals who commit fraud must, through instrument of the law and court judgments, realise that it is no longer business as usual.
He further held that victims of the convicted Director deserved raparation which can only be achieved through justice.
Yusuf had dragged the Federal Government before the apex court seeking to reverse the six years imprisonment slammed on him by the Court of Appeal.
The former pensions director, who is serving the six years jail term at the Kuje prison, also asked the Supreme Court to set aside the whopping sum of N22.9 billion naira he was ordered to refund the government by the Court of Appeal in a 2018 judgment.
He was sent to prison in 2018 by the Court of Appeal in Abuja upon being found guilty of defrauding the Federal Government to the tune of N22.9 billion naira through Police Pensions.
In his appeal lodged with the Supreme Court, he prayed the apex court to set aside his conviction and the order that he should refund N22.9b.
He accused the Court of Appeal of miscarriage of justice in its judgment.
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