A Federal Capital Territory High Court has sentenced Robert Orya, former Managing Director (MD) of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), to 490 years in prison for defrauding the bank of N2.4 billion.
Orya, who led NEXIM from 2011 to 2016, was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), represented by Samuel Ugwuegbulam. He was convicted on all 49 counts filed against him by Justice F.E. Messiri on Thursday..
The judge handed down a 10-year sentence for each count, cumulating in a total of 490 years imprisonment.
The EFCC described the conviction as a major victory in its ongoing fight against corruption, emphasising that public officials will be held accountable for the mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds.
Orya’s prosecution follows several high-profile cases of financial misconduct in Nigeria’s banking and public sectors, reinforcing the message that no one is above the law.
