Court sentences Lagos pastor, wife to 10 years imprisonment over N52m fraud; orders church be be deregistered and closed down

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Wednesday sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Kristen Uyanwanne, to 10 years imprisonment for using a church to steal N52 million.

The court 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 Feb.25, 2020, they pleaded not guilty and the trial went on.

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

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

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

The court discharged and acquitted the second defendant (Kristen) on count seven.

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 judgment.

The prosecution had submitted that sometime in March 2016, the convicts dishonestly converted the sum of N10 million, belonging to late Mrs Adeola Odemuyiwa, to their personal use.

EFCC also told the court that the convicts sold a property located at Plot 32, Block 9, Magodo, 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 prosecution, the offences violate Section 1 (2) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006

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