A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has convicted and sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odemuyiwa (a.k.a. Kristein Uyanwanne), along with their church, Temple International Church, for fraud and dishonest conversion.
Presiding over the case, Justice Mojisola Dada handed down varying prison sentences and ordered the deregistration and closure of the church for using its platform to defraud people.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged the convicts with seven counts, including stealing, dishonest conversion, false representation, and fraud. The case, which began on February 25, 2020, saw the prosecution call five witnesses, while the defense presented two.
In her ruling, Justice Dada stated that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The sentences included:
– Harry Uyanwanne: 7 years imprisonment on counts 2-6, and 10 years on another count, to run concurrently.
– Oluwakemi Odemuyiwa: 3 years imprisonment on count one and 6 years on other charges, also to run concurrently.
The judge also ordered the convicts to pay ₦31 million as restitution to the nominal complainant within 60 days.
The EFCC alleged that the convicts fraudulently sold a property belonging to the late Mrs. Janet Adeola Odemuyiwa, falsely claiming authorization to sell it. They dishonestly converted ₦10 million from the property sale for personal use.
Justice Dada emphasized the misuse of religion in the fraud, declaring, “Using the name of God and church to defraud people, I order that the third convict, Temple International Church, be deregistered and closed down.”
This judgment serves as a warning against exploiting religious platforms for criminal activities and underscores the commitment to upholding justice.
