The Court of Appeal in Abuja has confirmed the conviction and 490-year prison sentence handed to former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), Robert Orya, over a ₦2.4 billion fr@ud case.
A three-member panel led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma dismissed Orya’s appeal, saying it had no merit, and confirmed the earlier judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
Orya was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after he was charged in 2021 with 49 offences involving obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fr@ud.
The trial court found him guilty on all 49 charges and sentenced him to 10 years in prison for each charge, bringing the total sentence to 490 years.
However, Orya will not spend 490 years in prison. The court ordered that the sentences should run at the same time. This means the 10-year sentences for the 49 charges will be served together, rather than one after another.
Orya appealed the decision, asking the Court of Appeal to cancel his conviction and sentence. However, the appellate court rejected his appeal and confirmed the decision of the lower court.
Justice Danjuma said the issues raised by Orya in his appeal were resolved against him, adding that the appeal had no merit.
Orya served as NEXIM Bank’s Managing Director from 2009 to 2016. He was first appointed in 2009 by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and reappointed in 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
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