A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja convicted and sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odemuyiwa (also known as Kristein Uyanwanne), as well as Temple International Church, on Wednesday.
Justice Mojisola Dada delivered the verdict after finding them guilty of the charges brought against them.
The judgement further ruled that the third defendant, Temple International Church, be deregistered and closed for defrauding people in the name of God and the church.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged the offenders with seven counts of stealing, dishonest conversion, false presentation, and fraud.
On February 25, 2020, the EFCC arraigned the convicts, who pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution began trial.
During the trial, the prosecution lawyer, Mr. Babatunde Sonoiki, called five witnesses, while the defence called two.
The court delivered the judgement, ruling that the prosecution established its case beyond reasonable doubt and thus found both of them guilty.
On count one, Justice Dada sentenced the duo to three years in prison, while the first convict, Harry Uyanwanne, received a seven-year term on counts two through six.
The second convict (Odemuyiwa) was sentenced to three years in jail, but the court discharged and acquitted him on point seven.
Uyanwanne was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Odemuyiwa (also known as Kristein Uyanwanne) received a six-year sentence.
The judge ruled that the sentences should run concurrently. Justice Dada also ruled that the third convict, Temple International Church, be deregistered and shut down.
“Using the name of God and church to defraud people, I order that the third convict should be deregistered and closed down,” she said.
The judge ordered the convicts to return the sum of N31 million to the notional complainant within 60 days of the judgement.
The EFCC said that sometime in March 2016, the convicts fraudulently converted N10 million for their own use, which was the property of the late Mrs. Janet Adeola Odemuyiwa.
According to the anti-graft agency, the convicts sold the property known as Plot 32, Block 9, Magodo Residential Scheme 1, Ikeja Local Government to one Mr. Kingsley Atere for N42 million under the false pretence that the first convict was authorised to sell the property by the bona fide owner, the late Mrs. Odemuyiwa.
According to the EFCC, the crimes committed violated Sections 1(2) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Crimes Act No. 14 2006, as well as Sections 278 and 285 (1) of the Lagos State Criminal Law No. 11, 2011.
