Heartbreak As Appeal Court Affirms Ex-NEXIM MD Orya’s 490-year Jail Term Over ₦2.4bn Fraud
Justice Muhammed Danjuma of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, has affirmed the conviction and sentence of a former Managing Director of Nigeria Export Import Bank (NEXIM), Robert Orya.
The Genius Media Nigeria recalls that Orya had been sentenced to 490 years imprisonment for bank fraud on Thursday, February 5, 2026, by Justice F.E. Messiri of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja.
He was arraigned in 2021 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 49-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud to the tune of ₦2.4 billion.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, he approached the Appellate court for reprieve.
Leading two other Justices, Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche on Tuesday to deliver a unanimous judgment, Justice Muhammed stated that, “I have considered all briefs filed by counsel and have gone through the record of the trial court and adopted it and the issues as formulated by this appellate court in resolving this appeal. I looked at each and every issue and in my final analysis, all the issues formulated for the determination of this appeal are resolved in favor of the respondent and against the appellant. This appeal is devoid of any merit and is hereby dismissed. The judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory delivered on February 5, 2026 in charge number FSC/SC/CS/487/2021 is hereby affirmed.”
The trial judge, Justice Messiri, had earlier judged that the prosecution proved its case beyond every reasonable doubt and found the defendant guilty as charged on all the 49 counts and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment on each, totaling 490 years. The sentences, however, are to run concurrently.
The convict served as the Managing Director of NEXIM Bank between 2009 and 2016. He was appointed to the position on August 14, 2009 by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and reappointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 18, 2014.
