Lagos Couple Jailed 14yrs for N67.6m Fraud

One HARRY UYANWANNE and his wife, OLUWAKEMI ODIA, also known as KRISTEIN UYANWANNE, will be spending fourteen years in prison following their conviction for fraud.

Justice MOJISOLA DADA of the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja found the couple guilty of Sixty-Seven-Point-Six Million Naira fraud.

Justice DADA also ordered the convicts to refund the sum of Sixty-Seven Million, Six Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand, Five Hundred and Ninety-Two Naira, which they obtained from the complainant, OLUSOLA ODEMUYIWA.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commissioner, EFCC, arraigned KEMI ODIA and HARRY UYANWANNE on a three-count charge of false pretence and intent to defraud, involving the unauthorized sale of a property in the Ebute Meta axis of Oyingbo, Lagos State.

The EFCC alleged that : "Kemi Odia and Harry Uyanwanne (a.k.a Ben Ololorma) sometime in 2010 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, by false pretence and intent to defraud, sold the property known as N0 19 Murtala Mohammed Way, Ebute Meta, Oyingbo Lagos to one Harry Dyawanne for the sum of Sixteen Million Naira N16.000,0O0.00) on the false pretence representation that you were authorized to sell the property by the bonafide beneficiaries of the Estate of Late Dr Moshood Babatunde Odemuyiwa which representation you knew was false".

They pleaded not guilty to the charges, Justice DADA held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and therefore found both defendants guilty.

On count one, Justice DadaDADA convicted and sentenced the duo to three years imprisonment, on count two- stealing to one year, on count three- obtaining money by false pretence to 10 years(without option of fine) while on count four, forgery, they were discharged.

The judge also ordered that the first defendant’s sentence be suspended until apprehended.