By Nkechi Eze
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Benin Zonal Directorate, on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, arraigned a former supermarket manager, Evangeline Atanda Ibadha, before Justice (Professor) C. A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, Edo State, over alleged involvement in a N547 million fraud.
In a statement issued by the Commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC said Ibadha, a former manager at JustProtein Supermarket in Benin City, was arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on stealing by conversion and unlawful diversion of funds amounting to N547,307,016.
One of the counts reads:
“That you, Evangeline Atanda Ibadha (f), on or about the 1st day of November, 2022, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did indirectly take possession and control of the sum of Ten Million Five Thousand Naira (N10,005,000) which was paid into your account No. 4990092639 domiciled with EcoBank and operated by you, which sum you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful act to wit: stealing by conversion, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
Another charge reads:
“That you, Evangeline Atanda Ibadha (f), sometime between January 2018 and January 2025, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did indirectly take possession and control of the aggregate sum of Three Hundred and Nineteen Million, Three Hundred and Thirty-Five Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixteen Naira (N319,335,216.00), which was paid into your account No. 3007525066 domiciled with First Bank Plc and operated by you, which sum you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful act to wit: stealing by conversion, contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”
Upon arraignment, the defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges. Prosecution counsel, I. M. Elodi, subsequently urged the court to remand her in the Correctional Service and fix a date for trial. However, defence counsel, Evans Ogbeifun, prayed the court to stand in as an interim surety for his client pending the filing and determination of a formal bail application.
Justice Obiozor adjourned the case to December 8, 2025, for hearing of the bail application.
