The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the 490-year prison sentence handed down to former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank, Robert Orya, over a N2.4 billion fraud case.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma, unanimously dismissed Orya’s appeal challenging his conviction by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
Other members of the panel were Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche.
According to a statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, Justice Danjuma held that the appeal lacked merit.
The appellate court subsequently affirmed the judgment delivered by Justice F.E. Messiri of the FCT High Court on February 5, 2026.
While delivering the judgment, Justice Danjuma said the panel had considered the briefs filed by the lawyers and examined the records of the trial court before resolving the issues raised in the appeal.
He said the issues were decided in favour of the respondent and against the appellant.
“This appeal is devoid of any merit and is hereby dismissed,” the judge was quoted as saying.
The court consequently affirmed the judgment of the FCT High Court in charge number FSC/SC/CS/487/2021.
Orya was prosecuted by the EFCC after he was arraigned in 2021 on a 49-count charge.
The charges included obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud involving approximately N2.4 billion.
With the Court of Appeal’s decision, the conviction and sentence imposed by the trial court have now been affirmed at the appellate level.
The case was prosecuted as part of the EFCC’s efforts to investigate and prosecute alleged financial crimes involving public institutions and individuals.
