Kemisola Oye
JUSTICE Mojisola Dada of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja earlier today convicted and sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odemuyiwa (a.k.a Kristein Uyanwanne) alongside Temple International Church to 10 years imprisonment for stealing N52 million.
Justice Dada also ordered that the third defendant (Temple International Church) be deregistered and closed down for using the name of God and the church to defraud people.
The judge, while delivering judgement found them guilty of the seven counts charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The anti-graft commission arraigned the couple on 25 February 2020. They pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution commenced trial.
During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Mr Babatunde Sonoiki, called five witnesses, while the defence counsel called two witnesses.
The judge held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. And, therefore, found both defendants guilty.
On count one, Justice Dada sentenced the duo to three years imprisonment, while on count two to six, the first defendant was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
The second defendant (Odemuyiwa) was sentenced to three years imprisonment but was discharged and acquitted on count seven.
Uyanwanne is sentenced to 10 years, and Odemuyiwa (a.k.a Kristein Uyanwanne) is sentenced to six years. The judge ordered the sentence to run concurrently.
Justice Dada also ordered that the third defendant, “Temple International Church”, be deregistered and closed down. Ordered the convicts to restitute the sum of N31 million to the nominal complainant within 60 days of the judgment.
It would be recalled that the prosecution had alleged that sometime in March 2016 the couple dishonestly converted N10 million to their use, property of the late Mrs. Odemuyiwa Janet Adeola.
Also, the defendants, with intent to defraud, allegedly sold the property known as Plot 32, Block 9, Magodo Residential Scheme 1, Ikeja Local Government to one Mr. Kingsley Atere for the sum of N42 million on the false presentation that the first defendant was authorised to sell the property by the bonafide owner, the late Mrs. Odemuyiwa Janet Adeola.
Their offences were said to be contrary to sections 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 of Nigeria No. 11, 2011.
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