Binance trial: Gambaryan’s health issue not serious, EFCC tells court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has objected to the health claims made by Tigran Gambaryan, head of financial crime compliance, Binance Holdings Limited.

At the court session on Monday, Ekele Iheanacho, EFCC counsel, filed a counter affidavit to the bail application by Mark Mordi, counsel to Gambaryan.

Mordi had informed the court of another bail application — which was filed on August 28 — during the session seeking the release of his client on medical grounds.

In April, EFCC arraigned Binance, a cryptocurrency firm, and Tigran Gambaryan, over allegations bordering on money laundering.

Gambaryan’s legal team and his family have previously raised alarm that the Binance executive could die in the Kuje prison if his health continued to deteriorate.

His wife, Yuki, said Gambaryan is getting worse and needs “highly specialised and risky surgery” to treat the herniated disc in his back.

Gambaryan’s health issue had led Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, to issue an arrest warrant against Abraham Ehizojie, a medical doctor at the health facility in Kuje correctional centre, on July 30, over his failure to produce the executive’s medical report.

‘HEALTH ISSUE NOT SERIOUS’

During the hearing, Iheanacho said he has perused the defendant’s medical records and his health challenge “is not as serious” as it has been portrayed.

“My lord, I don’t want to go into detail about this issue. Ordinarily, the defendant had been living with this condition for the past 12 years before he came to Nigeria. It is not as if it is a new issue,” he said.

The EFCC lawyer insisted that Nigerian authorities have been taking care of the defendant.

He added that prison officials report that Gambaryan walks within the prison facility.

Interjecting the EFCC lawyer, Gambaryan acknowledged that he has had the herniated disc condition for 12 years, but it had been untreated in prison.

“It was treated, but when the condition goes untreated at a prison or a medical facility, this is what happens,” he said.

The defendant said he has been complaining about the condition, and nothing was done, adding that the lack of appropriate treatment has caused permanent nerve damage, resulting in his current state.

The judge adjourned the bail application hearing to September 4.

Also, officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were absent when the case was called.

Nwite had summoned Olayemi Cardoso, CBN governor, and the apex bank’s head of legal services department to appear before the court with specific documents on September 2.

The EFCC lawyer said delegates from the CBN were in court earlier but had to leave before the commencement of the Binance case because the previous suit took longer than expected.

They are expected to be in court on the next adjourned date.