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An Abuja High Court, on Monday, convicted and sentenced one of the accused, John Yusuf, in the ongoing trial of former officials of the Police Pension Fund over their alleged complicity in the N39 billion scam to two years imprisonment, with an option of N250,000 fine.
The court handed down the sentence when Yusuf, who had earlier pleaded not guilty alongside his co-accused, changed his stand and pleaded guilty to three out of the amended 20-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Specifically, Yusuf pleaded guilty to counts 18, 19 and 20, where he was alleged to have connived with Mr Essai Dangabar, Atiku Kigo, Ahmed Wada, Mrs Veronica Ulonma, Sani Zira, Mrs Uzoma Attang and Mr Christian Madubuike, to convert N24.2 billion, N1.3 billion and N1.7 billion, respectively, belonging to the pension office to their own use, an offence punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria 2007.
The two years is to run concurrently for each of the three counts pleaded guilty to, while the N250,000 option of fine is for each of the count.
Other accused, however, maintained their earlier plea.
Upon his new guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacob (SAN), urged the court to convict Yusuf accordingly.
He also brought an application seeking the forfeiture of 13 properties scattered between Gombe State Government Reservation Area (GRA) and Abuja, which the anti-graft agency seized from Yusuf as proceeds of the crime.
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