A’Court upholds 490-year jail term for ex-NEXIM Bank MD

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Tuesday affirmed the conviction and 490-year imprisonment handed down to a former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank, Robert Orya, over a N2.4bn fraud.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma, unanimously dismissed Orya’s appeal challenging the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.

The other members of the panel were Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche.

A statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said Justice Danjuma, while delivering the judgment, held that the appeal lacked merit and affirmed the judgment of the trial court delivered by Justice F.E. Messiri on February 5, 2026.

“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 favour 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,” he was quoted as saying.

Orya was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after being arraigned in 2021 on a 49-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud involving N2.4bn.

The trial court had found him guilty on all 49 counts after holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Messiri consequently sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the 49 counts, totalling 490 years.

The sentences are, however, to run concurrently.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Orya approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn his conviction and sentence.

The appellate court, however, rejected his appeal and upheld the findings of the trial court.

Orya served as Managing Director of NEXIM Bank between 2009 and 2016.

He was appointed to head the bank on August 14, 2009, by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and was reappointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 18, 2014.