The Federal High court sitting in Abuja on Thursday, adjourned till May 17 for continuation of trial of Binance Holdings Limited and two of its executives, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla on money laundering charges preferred against them by the Federal government.
At Thursday May 2, proceedings, Tony Krukrubo, counsel to the 2nd defendant Tigran Gambaryan informed the court that he was yet to be served the additional proof of evidence.
The court bailiff however told the court that efforts made by him to serve Gambaryan, the documents in Kuje prison on April 30, was met with vehement refusal by him to receive the service.
He added that Gambaryan had told him to serve the documents on the first defendant’s (Binance Holdings Limited) lawyer since the first defendant now has a legal representation of its own.
The trial Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, ordered that Binance’s counsel be served the documents in open court.
The matter was subsequently adjourned after the service.
“This matter will now be adjourned till May 17 for trial” the judge said.
Recall that on April 23, the Federal High Court Abuja after listening to the arguments between the prosecution counsel and that of Gambaryan fixed May 17 to rule on his bail application request.
Gambaryan, through his counsel, Mark Mordi (SAN) had tried to convince the court why he should be granted bail.
Among others, Mordi contended that his client has been in custody for more than 50 days in a foreign land without visits from family members and this is hard for him.
He further argued that he’s client doesn’t pose flight risk as claimed by the prosecution.
“He can’t go anywhere, they (EFCC) have his passport. Already, being here unable to go meet his family is enough torture.
“The proof of service does not contain one document that incriminates my client. I dare him (complainant) to bring it out let’s see”.
The prosecution counsel, Emeka Iheanacho, however urged the court to not only refuse Gambaryan’s bail request but transfer him from Kuje prison to EFCC custody to prevent him from escaping.
Iheanacho contended that Gambaryan pose flight risk just like his counterpart Anjarwalla.
He also told the court that the defendant had attempted to secure a new international passport from the embassy of the United States of America in pretence that he’s own was missing when he knew all along it was with them.
He further told the court that the defendant is a dual citizen of two nationalities. An American and Armenian by birth.
Gambaryan, his company, Binance Holdings Limited and Anjarwalla, a fellow Binance top executive currently on the run were arrested and detained by the federal government over alleged terrorism financing and involvement of their firm in money laundering to the tune of $35 million.
All three defendants in the suit were said to have conspired amongst themselves to conceal the origin of their financial proceeds of their alleged unlawful activities in Nigeria.