Who be Robert Orya wey Appeal Court uphold im 490 years jail term for 2.4 billion naira fraud

Justice Muhammed Danjuma of di Court of Appeal for Abuja don uphold di conviction and sentence of one former Managing Director of Nigeria Export Import Bank (Nexim), Robert Orya, by Justice FE Messiri of di Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.

Di Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) make di informate on Tuesday, 8 September.

Orya bin chop conviction and sentence to 490 years imprisonment for bank fraud on Thursday, 5 February 2026.

EFCC bin arraign am for 2021 on a 49-count charge wey include say im obtain money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud to di tune of 2.4 billion naira.

According to EFCC, e bin approach di Appeal Court becos e no dey satisfied wit di lower court judgement.

On Tuesday, two oda Justices, Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche deliver di same judgment.

Justice Muhammed say: "I don consider all briefs filed by counsel and I don go through di record of di trial court and adopt am and di issues as formulated by dis appellate court in resolving dis appeal.

"I look each and evri issue and in my final analysis, all di issues wey dey formulated for di determination of dis appeal dey resolved in favour of di respondent and against di appellant."

Di court say di appeal no get merit and dem dismiss am. Di judgment wey di Federal Capital Territory High Court give on 5 February for case number FSC/SC/CS/487/2021, na im di court uphold and affirm.

Di trial judge, Justice Messiri bin don earlier judge say make di prosecution prove dia case bifor evri reasonable doubt and find say di defendant dey guilty as charged on all di 49 counts and sentence am to 10 years imprisonment on each, wey total to 490 years.

Di sentences go however run concurrently, wey mean say e go only spend 10 years for prison.

Who be Robert Orya

Di convict Ungwaga Roberts Orya bin serve as di Managing Director of Nexim Bank between 2009 and 2016.

Late Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua appoint am to di position on 14 August 2009, and ex-president Goodluck Jonathan reappoint am for di same position on 18 August, 2014.

Oga Orya attend University of Ibadan, Nigeria and graduate wit MSc in Banking and Finance. E also get Diploma in Accounting from Benue Polytechnic.

Im career for banking bin start for February 1984 wen e join di services of International Merchant Bank Plc. E don work for several banks afta dat one and e even hold leadership positions.

Orya na Associate Member of di Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and London (ACIBN), Certified Pension Institute of Nigeria and Nigeria Institute of Management. E also be Member of di Institute of Management Consultants.

E come from Benue State, northcentral Nigeria.