The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a 19-year-old woman, Marian Elia, and her 21-year-old boyfriend, Izuchukwu Uzoma, before the Federal High Court in Benin, Edo State, over the alleged theft of N35.92 million.
The defendants were arraigned by the EFCC’s Benin Zonal Directorate on a seven-count charge bordering on cybercrime, conspiracy and stealing.
The commission alleged that the duo conspired to steal N35,920,000 belonging to one Mrs Esther Ogbeifun.
According to the EFCC, investigations revealed that Elia, who grew up in the victim’s house, had access to her phones and banking information, which she allegedly used to transfer the money from the victim’s account into an account belonging to Uzoma, her boyfriend.
The defendants allegedly converted the money to their personal use.
One of the charges alleged that Elia, between March 8 and July 29, 2026, in Benin, Edo State, used the victim’s Moniepoint Personal Banking App to transfer a total of N35.92 million into an account domiciled with United Bank for Africa and operated by Uzoma.
The charge stated that the alleged act resulted in financial loss to Ogbeifun and contravened Section 33(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Following their pleas, the prosecution counsel, I.M. Elodi, asked the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendants in a correctional centre.
Justice C.A. Obiozor ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Benin Correctional Centre, Benin City.
The court adjourned the case until December 7, for hearing.
