Couple jailed for N52m church scam

The Special Offences Court sitting in the Ikeja area of Lagos State has sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Kristen Uyanwanne, to 10 years imprisonment for using a church to steal N52 million.

The court, on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, also ordered that the church, Temple International Church, be deregistered and closed down.

The couple and the church were charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on seven counts bordering on stealing and fraud.

EFCC arraigned the couple on February 25, 2020, and they pleaded not guilty.

While delivering judgement on Wednesday, Justice Mojisola Dada found the couple guilty as charged.

Justice Dada held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

On count one, the judge sentenced the duo to three years imprisonment and sentenced the first defendant (Harry) to seven years imprisonment on count two to six.

Justice Dada discharged and acquitted the second defendant (Kristen) on count seven.

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The judge, however, held that the sentence would run concurrently and ordered that the church be closed down.

She also ordered the convicts to restitute the sum of N31 million to the nominal complainant within 60 days of the judgement.

The EFCC had told the court that in March 2016, the couple dishonestly converted the sum of N10 million belonging to the late Adeola Odemuyiwa to their personal use

The EFCC added that the couple sold a property in the Magodo area of Lagos to one Kingsley Atere for the sum of N42 million on the false presentation that the first defendant was authorised by the complainant to sell the property.

According to the anti-graft agency, the offences violate Section 1 (2) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act  2006.

The offences, it said, also violated Sections 278 and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The Star