A 19-year-old woman and her 21-year-old boyfriend have appeared in court over an alleged ₦35.92 million theft in Edo State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused the pair of taking the money from a woman who reportedly raised Elia in her home.
The case has drawn attention because the alleged transfers involved the victim’s banking app and an account linked to her boyfriend.
The EFCC identified the defendants as Marian Elia, 19, and Izuchukwu Uzoma, 21. They were arraigned before Justice C.A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court on seven counts.
According to the commission, the charges involve alleged cybercrime, conspiracy and stealing.
The EFCC announced the arraignment in a statement shared on its official X account on Wednesday.
The EFCC alleged that Elia used her access to Mrs Esther Ogbeifun’s phones and banking details to move the money.
The commission said the transfers allegedly went into an account operated by Uzoma at United Bank for Africa (UBA).
One of the charges stated that the transfers occurred between March 8 and July 29, 2026, in Benin, Edo State.
The charge read: “That you Marian Elia between the 8th day of March 2026 and 29th day of July 2026 in Benin, Edo State within 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 number6513141114 to transfer the aggregate sum of N35,920,000.00 (Thirty Five million, Nine hundred and Twenty Thousand) to account number 2318786590domiciled in United Bank for Africa, operated by one Izuchukwu Uzoma, resulting in a loss to the said Mrs Esther Ogbeifun”
The commission said the alleged offence violated Section 33(2)(c) of the Cybercrime Act 2015, as amended in 2024.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges. Prosecution counsel, I.M. Elodi, asked the court to set a trial date and remand them.
Justice Obiozor ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Benin Correctional Centre. The court adjourned the case until December 7.
