Crime

Appeal Court upholds 490-year jail term for ex-NEXIM Bank MD

Published

2 months ago

September 9, 2026

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Tuesday affirmed the conviction and 490-year imprisonment handed down to a former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank, Robert Orya, over a N2.4bn fraud.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma, unanimously dismissed Orya’s appeal challenging the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.

The other members of the panel were Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche.

A statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said Justice Danjuma, while delivering the judgment, held that the appeal lacked merit and affirmed the judgment of the trial court delivered by Justice F.E. Messiri on February 5, 2026.

“I have considered all briefs filed by counsel and have gone through the record of the trial court and adopted it, and the issues as formulated by this appellate court in resolving this appeal.

“I looked at each and every issue, and in my final analysis, all the issues formulated for the determination of this appeal are resolved in favour of the respondent and against the appellant.

“This appeal is devoid of any merit and is hereby dismissed. The judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory delivered on February 5, 2026, in charge number FSC/SC/CS/487/2021 is hereby affirmed,” he was quoted as saying.

Orya was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after being arraigned in 2021 on a 49-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud involving N2.4bn.

The trial court had found him guilty on all 49 counts after holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Messiri consequently sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the 49 counts, totalling 490 years.

The sentences are, however, to run concurrently.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Orya approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn his conviction and sentence.

The appellate court, however, rejected his appeal and upheld the findings of the trial court.

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

He was appointed to head the bank on August 14, 2009, by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and was reappointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 18, 2014.

Source: punchng.com

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Crime

Rape, manslaughter trial: Five witnesses testify against Odogwu Asaba

Published

9 hours ago

October 30, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The prosecution on Wednesday presented five witnesses and video evidence at the trial of content creator Ifeanyi Ogbonna, popularly known as Odogwu Asaba, over alleged rape and manslaughter in connection with the death of 20-year-old Favour Agbro.

The witnesses included Agbro’s twin sister, brother and father, the doctor who conducted the post-mortem examination, and an investigating police officer. The case is being heard by the Delta State High Court in Asaba.

However, the defence counsel requested more time to study the statements of the prosecution witnesses and the additional evidence served on the defence.

Speaking after the proceedings, the prosecution said it was prepared to proceed with the case but acknowledged the need to allow the defence adequate time to examine the materials.

The prosecution team was led by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Omamuzo Erebe, SAN, alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions, Tejiri Anuhwin, and other state counsel.

Ogbonna had pleaded not guilty to the charges on October 21, 2026, before Justice Michael Nduka Obi. The allegations relate to Agbro’s death in June 2026.

The court adjourned the case until November 19, 2026, for the continuation of the trial, when the prosecution is expected to proceed with its witnesses and evidence.

Recall that the court had remanded the content creator at the Ogwashi-Uku Maximum Correctional Centre after he was arrested and arraigned following allegations of raping Agbro, who later died after ingesting a toxic substance.

Source: punchng.com

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Crime

Police arrest fake lawyer after 11 years of practice in Ebonyi

Published

2 days ago

October 28, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a man, Ugwumba Enyinnaya, for allegedly impersonating a lawyer and practising for more than 11 years.

The state Police Public Relations Officerzz, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the arrest followed an investigation into a petition alleging obtaining money by false pretence.

According to the police, the suspect allegedly collected ₦650,000 from one Chukwu David in March 2026 to facilitate the processing and approval of a street naming in Ohaozara Local Government Area.

The petitioner alleged that Enyinnaya presented himself as a lawyer with years of legal experience.

The police said investigations following his arrest revealed that he had been parading himself as a legal practitioner despite not being a lawyer.

During interrogation, the suspect admitted that he was not a lawyer, according to the statement.

“A search of his apartment led to the recovery of several exhibits, including a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seal; a portrait of the suspect dressed in barrister’s regalia; purported Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree certificates for the suspect bearing the name of Enugu State University of Science and Technology; a barrister’s robe and wig; judgements allegedly procured from the court and various legal documents allegedly prepared by him, including powers of attorney and deeds of conveyance,” the statement said.

The police said the suspect had been charged to court.

The Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, CP Hope Okafor, commended the operatives for uncovering the alleged impersonation and urged members of the public to verify the credentials of people offering legal services.

She also advised residents to report suspicious activities to the police.

Source: punchng.com

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Crime

Lagos driver fleeing police arrest kills okada rider, injures two

Published

2 days ago

October 28, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

A yet-to-be-identified motorcycle operator has been killed, and two others injured, after a speeding driver, allegedly fleeing police officers, knocked down three motorcycle riders on Liasu Road in the Idimu area of Lagos State.

The incident occurred on Saturday night during a police chase involving a vehicle suspected to belong to Internet fraudsters.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle while attempting to escape from the pursuing officers and knocked down the three motorcycle riders in the process.

One of the riders was said to have died on the spot, while the two others sustained injuries.

It was gathered that the driver and other occupants of the vehicle abandoned it and fled after realising what had happened.

An eyewitness who gave his name simply as Wahab said the vehicle was being chased from the Ile-Iwe end of the road towards the Council bus stop.

He said, “They were coming from the Ile-Iwe side when police officers in a minibus tried to stop them. It was in the process that they increased their speed and drove recklessly.

“It was when the driver lost control that he ran into the okada riders. The one directly hit died on the spot, and the driver and other male adults in the vehicle ran out of the vehicle and fled.”

The vehicle was subsequently towed to the nearest police station, while the injured victims were taken to a nearby hospital.

The incident, however, sparked a protest by commercial motorcycle riders operating along Powerline and Liasu roads, as they stopped conveying passengers to demand justice for their colleagues.

According to another resident, Titi Jayeoba, the protest left several residents stranded as they struggled to find alternative means of transportation.

“We were stranded on Sunday after the okada riders refused to operate. People who depend on motorcycles to get to church and other places were stranded. The tricycles available could not carry everybody, so many people found it difficult to get to their destinations.

“And some were not even interested in tricycles because they would not take them into their streets,” Jayeoba stated.

It was gathered that normalcy had since returned to the area after the motorcycle operators resumed operations later in the evening.

The deceased victim was also said to have been buried according to Islamic rites.

When contacted on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said she was not aware of the incident. She, however, promised to revert.

Source: punchng.com

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