Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, deferred ruling on a fresh bail application, filed by Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Limited till October 9, 2024.
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| Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) |
Gambaryan, the second defendant is facing criminal prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC alongside the company on a five-count charge, bordering on tax evasion, currency speculation, and money laundering to the tune of $34,400,000.
Defence counsel, Mark Mordi, SAN had at the resumed sitting prayed the court in a fresh bail application to admit Gambaryan to bail on liberal terms for six weeks to enable him take proper care of his alleged failing health, arguing that even though the prosecution objects, exhibits, including the medical reports show that his client has a serious health issue and needed urgent medical care, which cannot be adequately managed in Nigeria.
However, prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, opposed the fresh bail application with a 28-paragraph counter-affidavit alongside six exhibits which established that Gambaryan was healthy, having been adequately taken care of in good Nigerian hospitals.
“My lord you will see that the responses from the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) as well as the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) show that the second defendant has been receiving very adequate medical treatment. He has been seen by different medical specialists from the teaching hospital in Gwagwalada. He was taken to Nizamiye Hospital Ltd. He was again taken to the State House Annex Clinic which his counsel even described as amongst the best in Nigeria,” Iheanacho said.
