Drama in Court as Whereabouts of Detained Binance Executive Unknown

A Federal High Court in Abuja witnessed a dramatic turn of events on Friday as the whereabouts of Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Limited, remained unknown, causing his absence at a scheduled trial.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Emeka Nwite had set October 18 for the continuation of the trial in the money laundering case brought against Binance Ltd and its representative, Gambaryan, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This followed the judge’s rejection of Gambaryan’s second bail application on October 11.

However, when the case was called, Gambaryan was missing from the courtroom, although all the legal representatives were present. This led Justice Nwite to question the defendant’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, SAN, about his client’s absence. Mordi admitted that he had no information on Gambaryan’s whereabouts.

Similarly, EFCC’s counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, expressed surprise at the situation. He requested a brief adjournment to inquire with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) about the issue. Counsel to Binance, Tonye Krukrubo, SAN, also voiced concerns, questioning how Gambaryan could be missing when he was under EFCC custody. “He is in their custody. It is odd they are unaware of his location,” he remarked.

Justice Nwite asked an officer from the NCoS in court to explain Gambaryan’s absence. The officer confirmed that Gambaryan had indeed been taken into their custody but could not account for his current whereabouts. The judge ordered the officer to contact the Kuje Correctional Centre, where Gambaryan was held, and clarify the situation.

After a brief recess, the court reconvened, and the NCoS officer reported that Gambaryan was seriously ill, which was why he had not been produced for trial. Mordi then requested an adjournment to allow time for a medical update on his client’s condition. He asked for the matter to be rescheduled for the following week to ensure Gambaryan received the necessary medical attention.

While Iheanacho expressed a desire to proceed with the trial, he acknowledged the importance of the defendant’s health, stating, “We are also concerned about the defendant’s health status.”

Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the case until October 25 for a report on Gambaryan’s health.