The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the conviction and 490-year prison sentence of former NEXIM Bank Managing Director, Robert Orya, over a ₦2.4 billion fraud.
A three-judge panel led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma unanimously dismissed Orya’s appeal for lacking merit on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Orya was originally convicted on February 5, 2026, by Justice F.E. Messiri of the FCT High Court on a 49-count charge including forgery, advance fee fraud, and obtaining money under false pretenses.
First arraigned by the EFCC in 2021, the former bank chief had appealed the high court’s ruling in an attempt to overturn his conviction.
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.
Justice Danjuma consequently affirmed the judgment of the FCT High Court delivered on February 5, 2026, in charge number FSC/SC/CS/487/2021.
At the trial court, Justice Messiri had held that the prosecution established its case beyond reasonable doubt and found Orya guilty on all 49 counts.
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.
According to PerSecondNews, Orya served as the Managing Director of NEXIM Bank between 2009 and 2016.
His tenure began under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who appointed him on August 14, 2009, and continued when former President Goodluck Jonathan renewed his term on August 18, 2014.
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