After a long-winded trial of six persons accused of complicity in the theft of N32bn of police pensions funds, the trial of one of the principal persons came to an end yesterday.
However, rather than heave a sigh of relief at seeing justice finally done, we were left with a shocker: Despite Mr John Yakubu Yusuf admitting to helping himself to N27 billion of pensioners’ money, he was sentenced to only 2 years in prison. Even worse, he was given the option of a N750,000 fine.
Even though the EFCC is seizing 13 out of his 32 properties and N325m of his stash, he still left the court with the bulk of his booty.
This conviction has succeeded in making rubbish of the claims of the government in fighting corruption. Neither the defence offered by the lawyer of the convict that he is a first-time offender with a young family nor the judge’s acquiescence of that excuse and accepting the supposed remorse of the convict holds any water for me.
The idea of punishments as convictions are is that they should act as deterrents to those with intent to commit the same crime. However, when someone steals N2bn of public funds and admits to same and is given such a light sentence, it would only serve to embolden future criminals who would see no risk in what they are doing.
Not only that, how would the families of thousands of retired policemen whose money Yusuf stole feel? Many have died awaiting their due benefits and entitlements; others have been plunged deep into penury, having spent their productive years working to protect Nigerians and left with nothing in their latter years.
If the Nigerian government is serious about fighting corruption, then all arms of government have to be on the same page is sending out loud and clear signals to offenders and would-be offenders.
This would not be the first time that the Nigerian judiciary has bungled a clear case of corruption. It took a British court to jail former Delta State governor, James Ibori after he was acquitted of all charges by a Federal High Court sitting in Asaba.
We cannot expect to always outsource our judiciary system, and we surely cannot expect to continue with the status quo. It is about time that something gives in regarding the way we try cases of corruption in Nigeria.
We can safely conclude that regarding the police pensions case, justice has not yet been served.