Court Sentences Couple To 14 Years Each Over N67.6Million Fraud
Court Sentences Couple To 14 Years Each Over N67.6Million Fraud
Justice Mojisola Dada, who presided over the court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, delivered the judgment on Monday, November 2, 2026, after finding the defendants guilty of conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money by false pretence.
ALagos State Special Offences Court has sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odia, also known as Kristein Uyanwanne, to 14 years’ imprisonment each over a N67,659,592 fraud involving a property belonging to beneficiaries of the estate of late Dr. Moshood Babatunde Odemuyiwa.
Justice Mojisola Dada, who presided over the court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, delivered the judgment on Monday, November 2, 2026, after finding the defendants guilty of conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money by false pretence.
The judge also ordered the convicts to make full restitution of the sum of N67,659,592 to the petitioner, Olusola Odemuyiwa.
The couple was convicted on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money by false pretence, filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1.
They were, however, discharged on the fourth count bordering on forgery.
One of the charges alleged that the defendants fraudulently sold a property located at No. 19, Murtala Mohammed Way, Ebute Meta, Oyingbo, Lagos, in 2010, despite allegedly lacking the authority of the rightful beneficiaries of the estate to dispose of the property.
The charge read, “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 N16.000,0O0 on the false pretence representation that you were authorized to sell the property by the Bonalde Beneficiaries of the Estate of Late Dr Moshood Babatunde Odemuyiwa which representation you knew was false.”
The EFCC alleged that the defendants conspired and dishonestly stole the property belonging to beneficiaries of the estate of late Dr. Moshood Babatunde Odemuyiwa, contrary to Section 285(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.
The anti-graft agency further alleged that the couple fraudulently sold the property, known as Plot 19, Murtala Mohammed Way, Ebute Meta, Oyingbo, Lagos, for N16 million by falsely representing that they had the authorisation of the bona fide beneficiaries of the deceased’s estate.
At their arraignment, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting the commencement of trial.
The prosecution counsel, Fadeke Giwa, called three witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits to establish the commission of the offences, while the defence called only one witness.
Delivering judgment, Justice Dada held that the prosecution successfully proved its case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt and consequently found them guilty.
On the respective counts, the judge sentenced the defendants to three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy, one year for stealing and 10 years for obtaining money by false pretence, without the option of a fine.
The sentences amounted to 14 years’ imprisonment for each convict. However, Justice Dada ordered that the first defendant’s sentence be suspended until he is apprehended.
Meanwhile, the court subsequently discharged the defendants on the fourth count of forgery.
