Activist says the N250 thousand fine in a monumental pension fraud is a “handshake”

An Abuja court on Monday handed a two year jail term, with a N250,000 fine option, to one of six federal officials tried for stealing N32.8 billion of police pension fund.

The sentencing is the first conviction in an elaborate scam that came to light early 2012 involving several top officials, offices and banks.

John Yakubu Yusuf, a former assistant director in the federal civil service, was tried on a 20-count charge alongside Atiku Abubakar Kigo (Permanent Secretary), Ahmed Inuwa Wada (Director), Veronica Onyegbula (Cashier) and Sani Habila Zira (ICT Officer).

Mr. Yusuf’s sentencing came after he pleaded guilty to betraying trust and fraudulently converting N2 billion of police pension funds to private use. The trial continues for the other accused.

Mr. Yusuf admitted to the 19th and 20th offences relating specifically to him, each involving betrayal of trust and the conversion of N1 billion apiece. The maximum penalty for the offence is two years.

Mr. Yusuf is to forfeit property traced to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, valued at N325 million.

Handshake ruling

The Judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, Abubakar Talba, had during his ruling, lambasted the accused and raised hopes of a stern punishment. In a twist of events, the judge reeled out Mr. Yakubu’s sentence, much to the chagrin of activists and keen observers. The accused was let go with a rather minimal jail term of two years, if the accused would rather not face the jail term, he would be let go with a payment of N250 thousand.

But the ruling by the judge angered activists and numerous Nigerians who have closely followed the trial. The activists say the ruling smacks of sleaze and raises questions on why the court let the accused go with a minimal jail term or the option of just N250 thousand despite the magnitude of the crime.

“This is not a slap on the wrist, it is a handshake ruling,” said Lanre Suraj of the Human and Environmental Developmental Agenda. “Some may say justice is done, but justice is not seen to be done.”

The ruling would imply Mr. Yusuf will still be retaining about N1 billion after paying his fines and losing the N325 million traced to him.

“This casts aspersion on the integrity of the judge and it may assure those willing to try something like this that crime pays,” Mr. Suraj who attended the court hearing said.

Influential backing

The pension scam, involving several billions of naira stolen from retired police officers, shocked the nation after it broke February 2012 prompting a senate investigation.

The Senate joint committee on public service and establishment has for months, been embroiled in investigations centered on the Head of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, whom the lawmakers accused of championing another fraud.

Mr. Maina, who was brought in to reform pension administration was also accused of sleaze by the lawmakers.

He has been accused of diverting billions of naira of pension funds. He denies the allegations, and accused the lawmakers of seeking bribes. Despite the duration of the probe, no charge has been brought against him.

In December, the Chairman of the Senate Committee, Aloysius Etok, said Mr. Maina may be backed by influential Nigerians in the corridors of power.

Mr. Yakubu and his colleagues were suspended indefinitely in 2012 after the scandal broke.

The EFCC said the complex scheme involved several transfers of huge sums between banks, use of illegal accounts and falsification of names; is said to have been conducted between the officials and a former Director of Police Pension Fund, Esai Dangabar.

Mr. Dangabar was charged. Mr. Dangabar later told the EFCC part of the money was shared among the officials and the pension committees of the senate and the House of Representatives.

The National Assembly denied the allegations, calling it a “pack of lies” demanding proof.

Source: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/117599-director-jailed-2yrs-for-stealing-n33bn-pension-fund-freed-on-n250000-fine.html


Is this how GEJ want to fight corruption with Technology?


Change we need.

That's Jonathan government way of fighting corruption. They did that to gain a score mark for election campaign, so they will tell did world they probe a case of corruption where they just gave a handshake to the culprit.

danot1030:
That's Jonathan government way of fighting corruption. They did that to gain a score mark for election campaign, so they will tell did world they probe a case of corruption where they just gave a handshake to the culprit.

I wonder oooo, Someone stole 33b and was given 2yrs or a fine of 250k naira can you imagine? Change we need.

danot1030:
That's Jonathan government way of fighting corruption. They did that to gain a score mark for election campaign, so they will tell did world they probe a case of corruption where they just gave a handshake to the culprit.

Indeed. Any surprise that not a single fuel subsidy scammer has been brought to justice till today? In fact one of those in court for the fuel subsidy daylight robbery, i.e Ifeanyi Uba, was last seen working officially for GEJ as a co-ordinator of TAN. What a joke government. Simply the worst and most shameless in the universe.

falconey:
if 2years in prison is the penalty for stealing 33billion...........anyman will love to steal

Actually, it wasn't even 2 years in Jail but a fine of 250,000 and seizure of assets worth 325million. That's out of 33 billion - in effect, he lost 1% of what he stole (and probably donated another 25% toward someone's re-election)

Technological kungfu against corruption at its best

Bunch of Migraines up above me. When did GEJ turn into a judge. APC people please go to school oooo, stop following illiterate buhari for your own good.

ahaika23:
Bunch of Migraines up above me. When did GEJ turn into a judge. APC people please go to school oooo, stop following illiterate buhari for your own good.

You are the fool here sor supporting illegality and can't condemn what is wrong.. Someone stole 33b naira and donated to the re election bid of GEJ and you think GEJ will allow them to jail him? The Judiciary have been compromise and Change we need.

At bashydemy
stfu the 1999 constitution makes it clear that it is not the duty of the executive to jail or prosecute people.
the blame lays squarely on the legislature for not UPDATING the laws of the land. it is with that law that the JUDICIARY will prosecute who so ever they wish. The executive cannot force the legislature to do its job that is why the president had to convene a National Conference to correct that nonsense
So blame ur fence scaling lawmakers for sleeping on duty

bashydemy:
You are the fool here sor supporting illegality and can't condemn what is wrong.. Someone stole 33b naira and donated to the re election bid of GEJ and you think GEJ will allow them to jail him? The Judiciary have been compromise and Change we need.

WHen was this case judged, was it before or after GEJ's campaign fund raiser? You na shiit head!

bashydemy:
You are the fool here sor supporting illegality and can't condemn what is wrong.. Someone stole 33b naira and donated to the re election bid of GEJ and you think GEJ will allow them to jail him? The Judiciary have been compromise and Change we need.

And one more thing shiit head, you better prove your statement or forever shut your stinking trap

bashydemy:
Activist says the N250 thousand fine in a monumental pension fraud is a “handshake”

An Abuja court on Monday handed a two year jail term, with a N250,000 fine option, to one of six federal officials tried for stealing N32.8 billion of police pension fund.

The sentencing is the first conviction in an elaborate scam that came to light early 2012 involving several top officials, offices and banks.

John Yakubu Yusuf, a former assistant director in the federal civil service, was tried on a 20-count charge alongside Atiku Abubakar Kigo (Permanent Secretary), Ahmed Inuwa Wada (Director), Veronica Onyegbula (Cashier) and Sani Habila Zira (ICT Officer).

Mr. Yusuf’s sentencing came after he pleaded guilty to betraying trust and fraudulently converting N2 billion of police pension funds to private use. The trial continues for the other accused.

Mr. Yusuf admitted to the 19th and 20th offences relating specifically to him, each involving betrayal of trust and the conversion of N1 billion apiece. The maximum penalty for the offence is two years.

Mr. Yusuf is to forfeit property traced to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, valued at N325 million.

Handshake ruling

The Judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gudu, Abubakar Talba, had during his ruling, lambasted the accused and raised hopes of a stern punishment. In a twist of events, the judge reeled out Mr. Yakubu’s sentence, much to the chagrin of activists and keen observers. The accused was let go with a rather minimal jail term of two years, if the accused would rather not face the jail term, he would be let go with a payment of N250 thousand.

But the ruling by the judge angered activists and numerous Nigerians who have closely followed the trial. The activists say the ruling smacks of sleaze and raises questions on why the court let the accused go with a minimal jail term or the option of just N250 thousand despite the magnitude of the crime.

“This is not a slap on the wrist, it is a handshake ruling,” said Lanre Suraj of the Human and Environmental Developmental Agenda. “Some may say justice is done, but justice is not seen to be done.”

The ruling would imply Mr. Yusuf will still be retaining about N1 billion after paying his fines and losing the N325 million traced to him.

“This casts aspersion on the integrity of the judge and it may assure those willing to try something like this that crime pays,” Mr. Suraj who attended the court hearing said.

Influential backing

The pension scam, involving several billions of naira stolen from retired police officers, shocked the nation after it broke February 2012 prompting a senate investigation.

The Senate joint committee on public service and establishment has for months, been embroiled in investigations centered on the Head of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, whom the lawmakers accused of championing another fraud.

Mr. Maina, who was brought in to reform pension administration was also accused of sleaze by the lawmakers.

He has been accused of diverting billions of naira of pension funds. He denies the allegations, and accused the lawmakers of seeking bribes. Despite the duration of the probe, no charge has been brought against him.

In December, the Chairman of the Senate Committee, Aloysius Etok, said Mr. Maina may be backed by influential Nigerians in the corridors of power.

Mr. Yakubu and his colleagues were suspended indefinitely in 2012 after the scandal broke.

The EFCC said the complex scheme involved several transfers of huge sums between banks, use of illegal accounts and falsification of names; is said to have been conducted between the officials and a former Director of Police Pension Fund, Esai Dangabar.

Mr. Dangabar was charged. Mr. Dangabar later told the EFCC part of the money was shared among the officials and the pension committees of the senate and the House of Representatives.

The National Assembly denied the allegations, calling it a “pack of lies” demanding proof.

Source: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/117599-director-jailed-2yrs-for-stealing-n33bn-pension-fund-freed-on-n250000-fine.html


Is this how GEJ want to fight corruption with Technology?


Change we need.

the way you people brandish figures as if you are in mathematics class. If you have prove that he stole money why don't you bring it along. You guys keep taking us for a fool. Do you know what 30billion naira is?

patrick89:
the way you people brandish figures as if you are in mathematics class. If you have prove that he stole money why don't you bring it along. You guys keep taking us for a fool. Do you know what 30billion naira is?

nna eh!

This his they ruined our system. So many clueless and quota system favoured northerners running strategic and positions and just squandering the people's resources at their disposals.

crazy northerners

redsun:
This his they ruined our system. So many clueless and quota system favoured northerners running strategic and positions and just squandering the people's resources at their disposals.

patrick89:
the way you people brandish figures as if you are in mathematics class. If you have prove that he stole money why don't you bring it along. You guys keep taking us for a fool. Do you know what 30billion naira is?

What is this one saying? Am i the Judge or am i the medial that write the amount he stole? You are one of the deluded and brainwash being..... Sorry have you eaten today?

ahaika23:
WHen was this case judged, was it before or after GEJ's campaign fund raiser? You na shiit head!

Don't be a lazy ass check the source and read through abi you be johnbull?

ahaika23:
And one more thing shiit head, you better prove your statement or forever shut your stinking trap

If you can't read and understand from the source provided, Then you really need help.

Nigeria is moving forward

falconey:
if 2years in prison is the penalty for stealing 33billion...........anyman will love to steal

You can now see the reason why the president said that stealing is not corruption. The man was actually charged for corruption which attracts less penalty than stealing/theft. The president says any form of stealing even though it is embezzlement as in this case shiuld be treated as stealing and not corruptipn because at the end of the day judges look at the penal codes when making judgement and someone charged for corruption cant be sentenced as a thief. Mischevious folks who didnt even know the context in which the president was speaking made it sound like he meant that stealing is not a bad thing so they can score political points.

Is this Stealing or Corruption? Worry not my people, the people's General will re-try him after May 29 and hand him at least 1000 years imprisonment. Ask Jim Nwobodo, he was sentenced to over 200 years imprison just because he stole money not enough to buy a Peugeot in 1984 (apology to our dear president Jonafool).