Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday convicted and sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odia, also known as Kristein Uyanwanne, to 14 years’ imprisonment each for N67,659,592 fraud.
The judge also ordered full restitution of N67,659,592 to the petitioner, Olusola Odemuyiwa.
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted the convicts on four counts bordering on conspiracy, stealing, obtaining money by false pretence, and forgery.
They were found guilty on three counts and discharged on one count of forgery.
According to the EFCC, the couple sometime in 2010 conspired and dishonestly stole the property of the beneficiaries of the Estate of the late Moshood Babatunde Odemuyiwa, contrary to Section 285(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The prosecution alleged that the duo, with false intent to defraud, sold the property known as No. 19, Murtala Mohammed Way, Ebute Meta, Oyingbo, Lagos, to one Harry Uyanwanne, the convict himself, for N16 million on the false representation that they were authorised to sell the property by the bona fide beneficiaries of the Estate of the late Moshood Babatunde Odemuyiwa.
One of the counts read: “Kemi Odia and Harry Uyanwanne (a.k.a Ben Ololorma) sometime in 2010 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court by false pretence and intent to defraud sold the property known as No. 19 Murtala Mohammed Way, Ebute Meta, Oyingbo Lagos to one Harry Uyanwanne for the sum of Sixteen Million Naira (N16,000,000.00) on the false pretence representation that you were authorized to sell the property by the bona fide Beneficiaries of the Estate of Late Dr Moshood Babatunde Odemuyiwa which representation you knew was false.”
At their arraignment, they pleaded not guilty.
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Prosecution counsel, Fadeke Giwa, called three witnesses and tendered several documents, while the defence called only one witness.
Delivering judgment, Justice Dada held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
On count one, conspiracy, the judge sentenced the duo to three years’ imprisonment. On count two, stealing, she sentenced them to one year. On count three, obtaining money by false pretence, she sentenced them to 10 years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine.
On count four, forgery, they were discharged.
The judge ordered that the first defendant’s sentence be suspended until he is apprehended.
