Court sentences Ex-NEXIM MD, Robert Orya, to 490 Years jail for N2.4bn fraud

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank, Robert Orya, to a total of 490 years’ imprisonment over a ₦2.4 billion fraud.

Justice F. E. Messiri, who delivered the judgment on Thursday, convicted Orya on 49 counts of fraud and abuse of office preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.

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

He was arraigned by the EFCC in November 2021 on charges bordering on fraudulent diversion of public funds and abuse of office.

According to the anti-graft agency, Orya abused his position as chief executive of the bank to fraudulently obtain over ₦1.4 billion through loan facilities.

The EFCC told the court that the former NEXIM boss incorporated a company while still in office, allegedly using the names of non-existent persons and others without their consent to secure loans from the bank.

The loans, the prosecution said, were never repaid and remained outstanding for several years, causing significant financial loss to the bank.

Justice Messiri, in his ruling, held that the prosecution had successfully proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and found Orya guilty on all count.