On Thursday, October 7, the Supreme Court of Nigeria will in Abuja determine the fate of a former Federal Director of Pensions (FDP) Mr John Yakubu Yusuf, in his bid to overturn a six-year jail term and an order to refund N22.9 billion to the government coffers.
Yusuf dragged the Federal Government before the apex court seeking to overturn the sentence slammed on by the Court of Appeal in 2018.
The former pensions director is serving the jail term at the Kuje prison in Abuja.
He was jailed upon being found guilty of defrauding the Federal Government to the tune of N22.9 billion through police pensions.
In his appeal lodged with the Supreme Court, he is praying the apex court to set aside his conviction and the order that he should refund the money.
His main grouse is that the Court of Appeal miscarried justice in its judgment.
It was reported that the Supreme Court on Wednesday slated the appeal marked SC. 355/2018 for determination by a five-man panel of Justices of the court.
Our correspondent also noted that the apex court has issued hearing notices to the two parties to appear before it on October 7 to present their arguments in the matter.
It was further observed that the Federal Government was served with the notice of hearing of the appeal through its counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) as the sole respondent in the legal battle.
The former pension director had in 2013 admitted committing the fraud and subsequently entered into a plea bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gudu District of Abuja.
He was, upon the plea bargain, sentenced to two years imprisonment by Justice Abubakar Talba with an option of N750,000 which he promptly paid and escaped imprisonment.
Irked by the light sentence issued by the high court, EFCC challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal in its judgment of 2018 quashed the plea bargain, sentenced the former director to six years imprisonment without the option of a fine, and also ordered him to refund the N22.9 billion to the Federal Government.
Yusuf is challenging the Court of Appeal judgment on the ground of gross miscarriage of justice.
