IKEJA: A Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja has sentenced a couple, Harry Uyanwanne and Oluwakemi Odia, also known as Kristein Uyanwanne, to 14 years’ imprisonment each for fraud involving ₦67.6 million.
Justice Mojisola Dada delivered the judgment on Monday, November 2, 2026, after finding both defendants guilty of conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money by false pretence in a case prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1.
The court also ordered the convicts to make full restitution of ₦67,659,592 to the petitioner, Olusola Odemuyiwa.
The defendants were, however, discharged on the fourth count bordering on forgery.
The case arose from allegations that the couple fraudulently sold a property belonging to the beneficiaries of the estate of the late Dr Moshood Babatunde Odemuyiwa.
According to the prosecution, the defendants allegedly conspired in 2010 to sell the property at No. 19, Muritala Mohammed Way, Ebute Meta, Oyingbo, Lagos, for ₦16 million without the authorisation of the estate’s legitimate beneficiaries.
One of the charges alleged that they falsely represented that they had the authority of the bona fide beneficiaries to dispose of the property, despite knowing that the claim was untrue.
The prosecution further alleged that the transaction formed part of a fraudulent scheme through which the defendants dishonestly obtained money and deprived the rightful beneficiaries of their property.
During the trial, both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution counsel, Fadeke Giwa, presented three witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits to establish the allegations against them.
The defence, on its part, called one witness.
Delivering judgment, Justice Dada held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt and consequently convicted both defendants on the three counts of conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money by false pretence.
On the first count of conspiracy, the court sentenced each defendant to three years’ imprisonment.
For stealing, they received one year in prison, while the third count, involving obtaining money by false pretence, attracted 10 years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.
The sentences amount to 14 years for each defendant.
However, the judge discharged both defendants on the fourth count of forgery, finding them not liable on that charge.
In addition to the prison sentences, Justice Dada ordered the convicts to refund the full sum of ₦67,659,592 to Olusola Odemuyiwa, the petitioner in the case.
The court also ordered that the sentence imposed on the first defendant be suspended until he is apprehended, according to the details of the judgment.
The EFCC had alleged that the defendants’ actions violated Section 285(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, in relation to the alleged unlawful appropriation of property belonging to beneficiaries of the late Dr Moshood Babatunde Odemuyiwa’s estate.
The judgment marks the conclusion of the trial over the disputed property transaction, with the court holding that the prosecution successfully established the defendants’ criminal responsibility on three of the four charges brought against them.
