THE Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, has convicted and sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odemuyiwa (also known as Kristein Uyanwanne), to a combined 16 years in prison for stealing N52 million.
Justice Mojisola Dada handed down the sentences and also found a third defendant, Temple International Church, guilty.
The court ordered the church to be deregistered and closed for using its religious platform to defraud people.
The trio was convicted on seven counts brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Dada ruled that the EFCC successfully proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The couple was initially arraigned on February 25, 2020, where they pleaded not guilty, prompting the prosecution to begin trial.
During the proceedings, the prosecution, represented by Babatunde Sonoiki, presented five witnesses, while the defense called two witnesses.
The court sentenced the defendants as follows: on count one, the couple received three years imprisonment.
On counts two through six, the first defendant, Uyanwanne, was sentenced to seven years, while Odemuyiwa received three years. Both were acquitted on count seven.
In total, Uyanwanne was sentenced to 10 years and Odemuyiwa to six years, with the sentences to run concurrently.
Additionally, the court ordered the convicts to restitute N31 million to the nominal complainant within 60 days.
The EFCC had alleged that in March 2016, the couple dishonestly converted N10 million belonging to the late Odemuyiwa Janet Adeola.
They were also accused of fraudulently selling a property, Plot 32, Block 9, Magodo Residential Scheme 1, Ikeja, to Kingsley Atere for N42 million under the false pretense that Uyanwanne was authorized to sell it.
Their actions violated Section 1 (2) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, as well as Sections 278 and 285 (1) of the Lagos State Criminal Law No. 11 of 2011.
