A mild drama unfolded at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday when Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Limited, failed to appear for his trial.
Gambaryan, who is being detained on charges of alleged money laundering brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was noticeably absent during the court proceedings.
Justice Emeka Nwite had previously set the date for the continuation of the trial on October 11, after rejecting Gambaryan’s second bail application. However, when the case was called, while all the legal representatives were present, Gambaryan, the second defendant, was not.
When questioned by the judge about his client’s absence, Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, SAN, stated that he had no knowledge of why his client was not in court. Similarly, EFCC’s counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, expressed surprise at the defendant’s absence and requested a brief pause in the proceedings to contact the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to determine what had gone wrong.
Tonye Krukrubo, SAN, representing Binance, also voiced concern, stating that since Gambaryan was in the custody of the EFCC, they should be able to explain his absence. “He is in their custody. It’s strange they do not know his whereabouts,” Krukrubo remarked.
Justice Nwite inquired if Gambaryan had been transferred to the correctional facility on the day the case was adjourned. An NCoS officer present in court confirmed that Gambaryan had been taken into custody but offered no explanation for why he was not brought to court. The judge, concerned about the situation, directed the officer to contact the head of the Kuje Correctional Centre for an update, instructing him to inform his superiors that the court was concerned about Gambaryan’s whereabouts.
Following the brief recess, the NCoS officer reported back, stating that he had spoken to his superior, who confirmed that Gambaryan was too ill to attend court. Upon learning this, Mordi requested an adjournment, explaining that additional time was needed to assess his client’s health and ensure he received proper medical care.
Iheanacho did not oppose the request, acknowledging that although the prosecution was ready to proceed, the health of the defendant was also a priority.
Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the case until October 25, pending an update on Gambaryan’s health.
