Why is Yusuf not in jail?

IRONICALLY, John Yakubu Yusuf,  a former Assistant Director in the Federal Civil Service, who was sentenced to prison by the Court of Appeal for stealing about N24 billion from the Police Pension Funds, is enjoying his freedom.

According to a report, “Over a year after the March 22, 2018 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which reversed an earlier judgement of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and sentenced Yusuf to a cumulative term of six years (two-year per count on a three-count charge), Yusuf, has not been made to serve the jail term.”

The convict is said to have appealed the Court of Appeal judgement at the Supreme Court, but the appeal is not supposed to act as a stay of the execution of the judgement. He is supposed to be in prison while he pursues his appeal.

So, why is Yusuf not in jail? Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) spokesman Tony Orilade was quoted as saying:  “After a successful appeal by the EFCC, the appellate court, on March 22, 2018, upturned Justice Talba’s judgement and handed Yusuf a six-year jail term. He was further asked to pay a more adequate fine of N20 billion, N1.4 billion and N1.5 billion on counts 17, 18 and 19, totalling N22.9 billion. If there is any question(s) on the whereabouts of the convict, it should not be directed at the EFCC but the relevant agency that should take custody of Yusuf.”

Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) spokesman Francis Enobore was quoted as saying it was the duty of the prosecuting agency, with powers of arrest, to ensure that a person against whom it secured conviction and sentence is delivered to the prison authorities, along with the decision of the court. In other words, the EFCC was supposed to have delivered Yusuf to the prison authorities to serve his jail term.

The claim and counter-claim show why Yusuf is free to enjoy his freedom. It is curious that a convict is not behind bars because there is confusion about who should ensure that he is in prison. Yusuf’s freedom makes nonsense of the country’s criminal justice system.

This is clearly not how to fight a war against corruption. It is ridiculous that Yusuf, who has been convicted of corruption and sentenced to jail, is nowhere near prison. Ironically, Yusuf is serving his jail term outside jail. Those who made this absurdity happen are absurd.