Photo: Leadership

Court gavel.

The former deputy director in the Police Pension Office, John Yakubu Yusuf, who was convicted and freed by an Abuja High Court after paying N750,000 fine for misappropriating over N23 billion, was yesterday ordered to be remanded in prison custody.

He was re-arraigned on fresh charges before Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The trial judge ordered that Yusuf should be remanded in prison custody till 4th March, 2013 when trial in the fresh case would commence.

The EFCC in the fresh 4-count charge of non declaration of assets, alleged that Yusuf had on 14th February, 2012, knowingly failed to make full disclosure of his assets and liability in the Declaration of Assets Form which he filled by not declaring his interest in a company known as SY-A Global Services Limited incorporated by him and solely owned by him and members of his immediate family.

The offence is said to be punishable under section 27(3) of the EFCC Act, 2004.

He was also alleged to have failed to declare his interest in a N250 million fixed deposit which was fixed in the name of the said company in an account it maintains at Zenith Bank International Plc. The former pension boss is the sole signatory to the company's account. The company was also alleged to have another N10 million fixed deposit in an account it maintains at First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

EFCC also accused Yusuf of fixing another N29 million through one Mr. Danjuma Mele, who is also scheduled to testify as a witness in the trial.

The sum was allegedly fixed on the instruction of Yusuf through Mele's company, Jidag Technical Services Ltd's account in Diamond Bank Plc.

Yusuf, last Monday pleaded guilty to have connived with other accused persons to steal N23billion belonging to the Police Pension Office.

Following his guilty plea, Justice Talba Mohammed sentenced him to 2 years imprisonment for each of the counts which is to run concurrently with an option of a fine of N750,000 which he paid immediately to avoid going to jail.