Police Pension: NLC Accuses Judiciary Of Aiding Corruption
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the Nigerian judiciary of encouraging corruption following what it described as light sentence granted to the ex-director of police pension, John Yusufu by the Justice Abubakar Talba of the Abuja High Court. This was even as it called on the National Judicial Council to investigate both the judge and the entire case.
In a statement signed by NLC Acting President, Kiri Mohammed, the union said that the money “he stole has left thousands of families in hunger, perpetual pains and in some cases, even death.”
NLC said that it was startled at the judgment after Yusufu who already admitted stealing N23billion out of over N40billion found to have been stolen from the coffers of the Nigeria Police Pension Fund between January 2008 and June 2011 was convicted to two years in prison with an option of fine in the sum of N750, 000.
“That Justice Abubakar Talba could only convict such a high profile thief who has enriched himself with money reserved for people who have served this country honestly and have retired into abject poverty and penury to a scandalous two years imprisonment with an option of fine in the ridiculous sum of N750, 000, shows clearly that the Nigerian judiciary is being compromised and obviously encouraging corruption in a country that has lost most of her earnings to a few individuals who have used their public offices to corruptly enrich themselves” the statement said
It further said, “This judgment is not in the public interest and cannot be acceptable to Nigerians who are continuously worried about their future in retirement should the judiciary continue to encourage those caught with public funds with convictions that are clearly not punitive enough for the convict to be remorseful. With this judgment, the judiciary will be encouraging the Nigerian people to opt for jungle justice and treat these high profile criminals the same way pick pockets are treated.
