A Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a couple Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odemuyiwa (also known as Kristein Uyanwanne) to a combined 16 years in prison for defrauding victims of ₦52 million.
Justice Mojisola Dada also convicted their religious organisation, Temple International Church, ordering its deregistration and closure for using the name of God to perpetrate fraud.
The couple, alongside the church, was charged with a seven-count indictment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
After their initial plea of not guilty on February 25, 2020, the EFCC prosecution team, led by Babatunde Sonoiki, presented five witnesses during the trial, while the defence called two witnesses.
Justice Dada, delivering her judgment, found the defendants guilty of six of the seven charges, ruling that the EFCC had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
On count one, Dada sentenced the duo to three years imprisonment, while on count two to six, the first defendant was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
Second defendant (Odemuyiwa) was sentenced to three years imprisonment but was discharged and acquitted on count seven.
Uyanwanne is sentenced to 10 years, Odemuyiwa (a.k.a Kristein Uyanwanne) is sentenced to six years. The judge ordered that the sentence is to run concurrently.
The judge also ordered the convicts to make restitution of the sum of N31 million to the nominal complainant within 60 days of the judgment.
