By Georgina George
A special offence Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odia, also known as Kristein Uyanwanne, to 14 years in prison each for N67.6 million. fraud.
The Court presided over by Justice Mojisola Dada also ordered the convicts to refund the full sum of N67,659,592 to the petitioner, Olusola Odemuyiwa.
The couple was convicted on three counts of conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money under false pretence brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They were, however, discharged of fourth count of forgery.
The prosecution alleged that in 2010, the defendants fraudulently sold a property at No. 19 Murtala Mohammed Way, Ebute Meta, Oyingbo, Lagos, for N16 million, falsely claiming they had the authority of the beneficiaries of the estate of late Dr. Moshood Babatunde Odemuyiwa to sell it.
During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Fadeke Giwa, called three witnesses and tendered several documents, while the defence called one witness. The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
However, in her judgment, Justice Dada held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and found both defendants guilty.
The court sentenced them to three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy, one year for stealing and 10 years for obtaining money by false pretence, without an option of fine. They were discharged on the forgery charge.
The judge also ordered that the first defendant’s sentence be suspended until he is apprehended.
