Court Sentences Couple to 16 Years in Jail, Deregisters Church Over N52m Fraud

On Wednesday, December 4, a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja convicted and sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odemuyiwa (also known as Kristein Uyanwanne), alongside Temple International Church, for embezzling ₦52 million.

Justice Mojisola Dada delivered the verdict, declaring them guilty of the charges brought against them.

Additionally, the judge ordered the deregistration and closure of Temple International Church for exploiting the name of God and the church to defraud individuals.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged the convicts with seven counts, including stealing, dishonest conversion, false representation, and fraud.

At their arraignment on February 25, 2020, the convicts pleaded not guilty, leading to the commencement of the trial.

During the proceedings, the EFCC’s counsel, Mr. Babatunde Sonoiki, presented five witnesses, while the defense called two.

In her judgment, the presiding judge ruled that the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to the conviction of the accused.

Justice Mojisola Dada sentenced the duo as follows: three years imprisonment each on count one, and for counts two to six, Harry Uyanwanne received seven years imprisonment while Oluwakemi Odemuyiwa (also known as Kristein Uyanwanne) was sentenced to three years. However, both were discharged and acquitted on count seven.

In total, Uyanwanne was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, and Odemuyiwa received six years, with the court ruling that the sentences would run concurrently.

The judge further ordered the deregistration and closure of Temple International Church, the third convict.

“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 court ordered the convicts to restitute ₦31 million to the nominal complainant within 60 days of the judgment.

The EFCC had alleged that, in March 2016, the convicts dishonestly converted ₦10 million belonging to the late Mrs. Janet Adeola Odemuyiwa for their personal use.

Additionally, the anti-graft agency accused the convicts of fraudulently selling a property located at Plot 32, Block 9, Magodo Residential Scheme 1, Ikeja Local Government, to Mr. Kingsley Atere for ₦42 million.

They falsely claimed that the first convict, Harry Uyanwanne, was authorized to sell the property on behalf of the rightful owner, the late Mrs. Odemuyiwa.

The EFCC noted that these acts 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.