Alleged N35.9m Fraud: EFCC Remands 19-Year-Old Woman, Boyfriend in Benin
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a remand order for two young lovers accused of conspiring to steal N35.92 million from a woman in Benin City, Edo State.
The defendants, Marian Elia, 19, and her boyfriend, Izuchukwu Uzoma, 21, were arraigned before Justice C.A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court on a seven-count charge involving alleged cybercrime, conspiracy and stealing.
The EFCC, through its Benin Zonal Directorate, alleged that Elia used her access to the mobile phones and banking details of the victim, Mrs Esther Ogbeifun, to transfer millions of naira into Uzoma’s bank account.
The commission stated that Elia grew up in the victim’s home and allegedly took advantage of her access to the woman’s financial information to carry out the transactions.
According to the EFCC, the alleged transfers occurred between March 8 and July 29, 2026, with the total amount involved put at N35,920,000.
One of the charges accused Elia of using the victim’s Moniepoint Personal Banking application to transfer the funds into an account operated by Uzoma with United Bank for Africa.
The commission alleged that the transactions caused financial losses to Ogbeifun and violated the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended in 2024.
However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read in court.
Following their pleas, the prosecution counsel, I.M. Elodi, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility pending further proceedings.
Justice Obiozor granted the request and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Benin Correctional Centre.
The case was adjourned until December 7, 2026, for hearing.
The defendants remain accused persons, and the allegations have yet to be proven in court.
