The EFCC N35.9m theft case involves two young lovers accused of allegedly transferring money from a woman’s account in Edo State.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) 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.

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The commission disclosed this in a statement published on its official X account on Wednesday, stating that its Benin Zonal Directorate brought the defendants before Justice C.A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court.

According to the EFCC, the pair face a seven-count charge bordering on cybercrime, conspiracy and stealing.

The commission alleged that Elia, who grew up in Ogbeifun’s household, had access to the woman’s mobile phones and banking information, which she allegedly used to transfer funds into an account belonging to Uzoma, her boyfriend.

“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 said.

The EFCC further alleged that the defendants converted the money to their personal use.

One of the charges accused Elia of using Ogbeifun’s Moniepoint personal banking application to transfer a total of N35,920,000 into an account operated by Uzoma at United Bank for Africa.

The alleged transactions reportedly occurred between March 8 and July 29, 2026, in Benin, Edo State.

The charge cited Section 33(2)(c) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended in 2024.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them in court.

Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, I.M. Elodi, asked the court to schedule the case for trial and remand the defendants in a correctional facility.

Justice Obiozor subsequently ordered that Elia and Uzoma be remanded at the Benin Correctional Centre in Benin City.

The court adjourned the case until December 7 for hearing.

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The allegations have yet to be determined by the court, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.