The Court of Appeal, Abuja, affirmed the conviction and 490-year prison sentence imposed on the former Managing Director of Nigeria Export Import Bank, NEXIM, Robert Orya, by Justice F.E. Messiri of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja, over a N2.4 billion fraud case.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma, with Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche, delivered a unanimous judgment on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, dismissing Orya’s appeal for lacking merit.
Orya was convicted and sentenced on February 5, 2026, by Justice F.E. Messiri of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, after being found guilty on 49 counts bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery, and advance fee fraud.
The convict 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 N2.4 billion.
Dissatisfied with the judgment of the trial court, Orya approached the Court of Appeal, seeking to have his conviction and sentence overturned.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Danjuma said the panel had considered the briefs filed by counsel and examined the records of the trial court before resolving all the issues raised in favour of the respondent and against the appellant.
The court held that the appeal was devoid of merit and dismissed it.
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 were 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 judge sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the 49 counts, amounting to 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.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
