Justice Muhammed Danjuma of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, affirmed the conviction and sentence of former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Robert Orya, by Justice F.E. Messiri of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja.
Orya was convicted and sentenced to 490 years’ imprisonment for bank fraud on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
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 pretence, forgery, and advance fee fraud involving ₦2.4 billion.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, he approached the appellate court for reprieve.
Leading a three-member panel comprising Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche, Justice Muhammed, in a unanimous judgment delivered on Tuesday, dismissed the appeal and affirmed the judgment of the trial court.
Justice Muhammed stated: “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.”
The trial judge, Justice Messiri, had earlier held that the prosecution proved its case beyond every reasonable doubt and found the defendant guilty as charged on all 49 counts.
He sentenced Orya to 10 years’ imprisonment on each count, totalling 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.
