Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan had his bail application denied by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.
Justice Emeka Nwite, while delivering the verdict, stated that the bail application is denied because he thoroughly reviewed the case and determined that the defendant will jump bail if granted.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Gambaryan, his company, Binance Holdings Limited, and a fellow top executive on the run, Nadeem Anjarwalla, with money laundering and terrorism financing.
The court denied Tigran’s bail application on the grounds that they believe Tigran will be able to jump bail despite not having a passport and several assurances offered to the court that he would not.
The court stated that it would rather expedite the trial.
The prosecutor then launched the EFCC’s case, calling Abdulkadir Abbas of the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission as the first prosecution witness.
After the prosecution finished questioning the first witness, Tigran’s lawyers sought a ‘stand down’ in order to collect certified recordings of certain papers as proof of evidence that would be used in their cross-examination.
The American Binance employee, was invited to Nigeria by the Nigerian government for a meeting and then had his passport taken away and was detained.
The court ruled that Binance can be served with a FIRS tax evasion complaint through Tigran.
The trail was adjourned until Thursday, May 23, at noon.
Speaking on the trial of her husband in Nigeria, the wife of the Binance executive said, “I truly cannot believe that my innocent husband is now, on his 40th birthday, having to face a trial for charges that he has nothing to do with.
“The whole world is watching what he is being put through, and I just pray that common sense and justice will prevail and that Tigran will be allowed to come home to us.”
