An FCT High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced former Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, NEXIM, Robert Orya to 10 years’ imprisonment for his role in a large-scale fraud involving about ₦2.4 billion.
According to a report by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the anti-graft agency secured the conviction after prosecuting Orya on a 49-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, fraud, misappropriation, impersonation, official corruption and abuse of office.
Justice Frances Messiri, who delivered the judgement, sentenced the defendant to 10 years on each of the 49 counts, with all terms to run concurrently.
The prosecution told the court that Orya, who served as NEXIM Managing Director between 2011 and 2016, abused his position to fraudulently divert the bank’s funds through a network of front companies and falsified loan applications.
Among the schemes uncovered were, the use of Luxurium Leisure Services Limited, a company allegedly incorporated with fictitious identities, to siphon funds, the inducement of NEXIM to grant a ₦488 million loan to Treasure Mix Construction Limited under false pretences.
The EFCC said the transactions had no legitimate business basis and were designed solely to defraud the bank.
Orya was arraigned in November 2021 and pleaded not guilty to all the charges. After a full trial, the court found him guilty as charged and imposed the custodial sentence.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
