Binance Executive: Court issues bench warrant against Kuje prison medical doctor

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday, issued a bench warrant on the medical doctor at the health facility of the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abraham Ehizojei for failing to produce the medical reports of the detained executive of Binance Holdings Limited, Tygran Gambaryan.

The. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the cryptocurrency firm and its executives, Tygran Gambaryan and the fleeing Nadeem Anjarwalla for allegedly conspiring amongst themselves to conceal the origin of the financial proceeds of their alleged unlawful activities in Nigeria, including $35,400, 000.

The anti-graft agency said they committed an offense contrary to Section 21 (a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

It be recalled that the court had, previously ordered the  Correctional Service doctor to produce the medical reports of  Tigran Gambaryan, warning the Service against non-compliance to the court’s directives.

The Judge added that the medical practitioner at the prison service will have to appear in court if the medical report is not produced.

At the proceedings on Tuesday, Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, SAN said in open court that the judge’s order has not been complied with.

The judge then asked a prison official who brought the Binance executive to court about the development.

The prison official said he got the court order and delivered the order to the doctor last Tuesday, adding,” he is not here and I expected him to be here.”

The EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho told the judge that he thought that the medical officer would be in court on Tuesday.

Mordi then prayed the court to issue a bench warrant against the medical officer of the Correctional Centre and that his client be remanded in a hospital immediately so that he could be diagnosed to see what his true state of health.

“My client came in here on a wheel chair. He has been complaining of a back pain. We need to be careful of the life in our hands,” Mordi said.

Iheanacho said he does not dispute the fact that the defendant should be given adequate treatment but he has issues with him being remanded at a hospital custody.

After hearing from the lawyers, Nwite said it was unfortunate that a government institution would be treating his orders with levity.

“I hereby make an order of bench warrant on the medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional Service, to appear before this court”..

He also ordered that Gambaryan be taken to the Nizamiye hospital for medical check-up for 24 hours, at any time of his choice but under full security, and adjourned the case till October 11, 2024, for continuation of trial.

Binance and its executives are faced with two separate suits by the FIRS and EFCC; the former bordering on tax evasion while the latter on money laundering and foreign exchange contravention.

On February 28, EFCC detained two senior Binance executives, Nadeem Anjarwalla, a 37-year-old British-Kenyan who serves as the regional manager for Africa, and Tigran Gambaryan, a 39-year-old American who is the head of financial crime compliance at Binance.

Gambaryan who was  brought to the Court in wheelchair on Tuesday, is facing a money laundering charge alongside the cryptocurrency firm.

When the matter was called, Gambaryan stood up from the wheelchair and walked slowly into the dock.

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