The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) re-arraigned Binance Holdings Limited on Friday, for a four-count charge related to tax evasion allegations.
The re-arraignment took place before Justice Emeka Nwite at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Ayodele Omotilewa, the Nigerian representative of Binance, appeared in court to enter a plea on behalf of the company. Omotilewa, a lawyer, pleaded not guilty to all four counts of the charge.
The re-arraignment followed the discharge of Binance executives Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla from the charges during the last court session.
Justice Nwite had previously ruled on June 14 to remove their names from the charge after FIRS counsel Moses Ideho filed a fresh amended charge, listing Binance Holdings Limited as the sole defendant.
The court had scheduled the session to address whether Omotilewa, as the new representative of Binance in Nigeria, should formally enter the dock and take a plea on behalf of the cryptocurrency platform.
Ideho argued that Omotilewa should be required to enter the dock since he had been appointed the company’s representative in Nigeria.
However, Tonye Krukrubo, SAN, representing Binance, opposed the application, arguing that Omotilewa’s appointment was for specific purposes and that he should only watch the proceedings rather than take a formal plea.
During the resumed hearing on Friday, Krukrubo withdrew their objection, acknowledging that Omotilewa would be in the dock in a representative capacity only. Consequently, the four counts were read to Omotilewa, who pleaded not guilty.
Following the plea, the FIRS lawyer requested a date for trial, stating, “In light of the plea, we apply for a date to prove our charge against the defendant.”
Justice Nwite set the commencement of the trial for October 11.
