Thursday, October 22, 2026 -The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned Marian Elia and Izuchukwu Uzoma, both of whom are lovers, before Justice C. A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court for stealing to the tune of N35,920,000.00 (Thirty-five Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira).
They were arraigned on a seven-count charge, bordering on
cybercrime, conspiracy and stealing.
Elia, 19 and Uzoma, 21 are alleged to have conspired and
stolen N35.920 million belonging to one Mrs Esther Ogbeifun.
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. And both converted the money to their
personal use.
One of the charge reads: “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).
They pleaded "not guilty" to the charges when they
were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, I.M. Elodi to ask the
court to for a trial date and to remand the defendants in a Correctional
Centre.
Justice Obiozor remanded the defendants in Benin
Correctional Centre, Benin City and adjourned the matter till December 7 for
hearing.
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