A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odemuyiwa (a.k.a Kristein Uyanwanne), alongside Temple International Church......Read The Full Article>>.....Read The Full Article>>
Justice Mojisola Dada delivered the verdict after finding them guilty of the charges brought against them.
The judge also ordered that the third defendant, Temple International Church, be deregistered and closed down for exploiting the name of God and the church to defraud people.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed seven charges related to stealing, dishonest conversion, false presentation, and fraud against the convicts.
When the EFCC arraigned the couple on February 25, 2020, they pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution began its case.
During the trial, the prosecution, led by Mr. Babatunde Sonoiki, called five witnesses, while the defense presented two witnesses.
In her judgment, Justice Dada ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, finding both defendants guilty.
Justice Dada sentenced Harry Uyanwanne to three years in prison on count one. On counts two through six, Uyanwanne was sentenced to seven years in prison. Oluwakemi Odemuyiwa (a.k.a Kristein Uyanwanne) was sentenced to three years in prison, but the court acquitted both defendants on count seven.
Uyanwanne received a 10-year sentence, while Odemuyiwa was sentenced to six years. The judge ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
Additionally, Justice Dada ordered that Temple International Church, the third convict, be deregistered and closed down, stating: “Using the name of God and church to defraud people, I order that the third convict should be deregistered and closed down.”
The judge further ordered the convicts to restitute the sum of N31 million to the nominal complainant within 60 days of the judgment.
The EFCC had alleged that in March 2016, the convicts dishonestly converted N10 million, the property of the late Mrs. Janet Adeola Odemuyiwa, for their own use. The anti-graft agency claimed that the convicts, with the intent to defraud, sold a property known as Plot 32, Block 9, Magodo Residential Scheme 1, Ikeja Local Government, to one Mr. Kingsley Atere for N42 million, falsely presenting that Harry Uyanwanne had the authorization to sell the property from its legitimate owner, the late Mrs. Odemuyiwa.
According to the EFCC, the offences violated Section 1 (2) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006, and Sections 278 and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria No. 11, 2011.
