Tigran Gambaryan, one-half of the Binance Officials who is being held in Nigeria, on Tuesday, appeared at the Abuja Federal High Court on a wheelchair.
He is facing a money laundering charge alongside the cryptocurrency firm.
However, when the matter was called, Gambaryan stood up from the wheelchair and walked slowly into the dock.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s lawyer, Ogechi Ujam, told the court that though the matter was scheduled for the continuation of trial, the commission’s lead counsel, Ekele Iheanacho was not in court.
Ujam prayed the court to stand down the matter to enable Iheanacho to conduct the trial.
Babatunde Fagbohunlu, SAN, who appeared for Binance (1st defendant) and Mark Mordi, SAN, who represented Gambaryan, did not oppose the application.
Justice Emeka Nwite stepped down the matter until noon.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Justice Nwite, on July 5, ordered the management of the Nigerian Correctional Service to release Gambaryan’s medical certificate by July 16.
This order followed an application by Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mordi, who asked the court to summon the medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional Centre health facility to explain why the client’s medical report had not been provided despite an earlier court order.
NAN reports that Gambaryan collapsed in open court on May 23 due to alleged ill health.
Subsequently, the defence law firm, Aluko & Oyebode, raised concerns on May 27 about the executive’s deteriorating health and potential risk of death while in Kuje Correctional Centre.
Get instant and latest news updates via Our WhatsApp Community or Google News online channel.
Credit – Punch, NAN
