The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned two young lovers, Marian Elia, 19, and Izuchukwu Uzoma, 21, over the alleged theft of N35.92m belonging to a woman, Mrs Esther Ogbeifun, in Benin City, Edo State.
The commission disclosed this in a statement published on its official X account on Wednesday, noting that its Benin Zonal Directorate brought the defendants before Justice C.A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court.
According to the EFCC, the duo faces a seven-count charge bordering on cybercrime, conspiracy and stealing.
The commission alleged that Elia, who grew up in Ogbeifun’s residence, exploited her access to the victim’s mobile phones and banking details to transfer the money into an account belonging to her boyfriend, Uzoma.
“Investigation by the Commission revealed that Elia, who grew up in the house of the victim, had access to her phones and bank information and allegedly executed a transfer of the said sum from the victim’s account into that of Uzoma, her boyfriend,” the statement read.
The EFCC further alleged that the defendants diverted the funds for their personal use.
One of the charges specifically accused Elia of using the victim’s Moniepoint Personal Banking application to transfer the money to an account operated by Uzoma.
The charge stated, “That you Marian Elia between the 8th day of March 2026 and 29th day of July 2026 in Benin, Edo State with the jurisdiction of this honourable court did use the access device issued to one Mrs Esther Ogbeifun to wit, a Moniepoint Personal Banking App with account number 6513141114 to transfer the aggregate sum of N35,920,000.00 (Thirty Five million, Nine hundred and Twenty Thousand) to account number 2318786590 domiciled in United Bank for Africa, operated by one Izuchukwu Uzoma, resulting in a loss to the said Mrs Esther Ogbeifun, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33(2) (c) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 (as amended 2024).”
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read in court.
Following their pleas, the prosecution counsel, I.M. Elodi, requested that the court schedule a date for trial and order the defendants’ remand in a correctional facility.
Justice Obiozor subsequently ordered that Elia and Uzoma be remanded at the Benin Correctional Centre in Benin City.
The judge adjourned the case until December 7 for hearing.
