The detained Binance Holdings Limited’s executive, Tigran Gambaryan, was on Tuesday, whisked into the Federal High Court in Abuja in a wheelchair.
Gambaryan, who faces charges of money laundering alongside the cryptocurrency firm, was dressed in a black T-shirt and blue jeans trousers.
When the case was called, Gambaryan stood up from the wheelchair and walked slowly into the dock.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) lawyer, Ogechi Ujam, informed the court that although the trial was scheduled to continue, the commission’s lead counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, was absent.
Ujam requested the court to stand down on the matter to allow Iheanacho to conduct the trial.
Babatunde Fagbohunlu, representing Binance (the first defendant), and Mark Mordi, representing Gambaryan, did not oppose the application.
Consequently, Justice Emeka Nwite stepped down the matter until 12:00 p.m.
Previously, on July 5, Justice Nwite had ordered the management of the Nigerian Correctional Service to release Gambaryan’s medical certificate by July 16.
The order followed an application by Gambaryan’s lawyer, who had urged the court to summon the medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional Centre’s health facility to explain the delay in providing Gambaryan’s medical report despite an earlier court order.
Gambaryan collapsed in open court on May 23 due to alleged ill health.
The defence law firm, Aluko & Oyebode, raised concerns on May 27 about the deteriorating health of the cryptocurrency firm’s executive, warning that he might die in Kuje prison if his health issues were not addressed.
