Nigerian court orders Binance executive to remain in prison despite not guilty plea

A Nigerian High Court successful Abuja ordered that the detained Binance enforcement Tigran Gambaryan beryllium remanded successful situation pursuing the postponement of his bail hearing.

Gambaryan, a US citizen, pleaded not blameworthy to wealth laundering charges earlier contiguous and volition stay successful custody until his bail proceeding connected April 18. The proceedings volition commence connected May 2, and successful the interim, helium volition beryllium held astatine Kuje Correctional Center, 1 of the largest prisons successful the nation’s capital.

Today’s tribunal quality follows Gambaryan’s apprehension implicit six weeks ago, on with different Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, regarding the exchange’s alleged engagement successful worsening Nigeria’s foreign speech woes. Anjarwalla escaped custody past month but is being tried successful absentia.

Binance has yet to respond to CryptoSlate’s petition for remark arsenic of property time.

Why Gambaryan was remanded

Gambaryan faces aggregate charges, including 5 counts of wealth laundering. His ineligible counsel contended that helium shouldn’t carnivore work for Binance’s actions, stressing his constricted decision-making relation wrong the exchange.

However, Judge Emeka Nwite dismissed this argument, citing Gambaryan’s anterior practice of Binance successful Nigeria. Notably, Binance said Gambaryan had antecedently facilitated a grooming league for Nigerian instrumentality enforcement agents connected however to observe crypto frauds.

Furthermore, the justice highlighted Gambaryan and Anjarwalla’s affidavit affirming their beingness successful Nigeria since February, acting arsenic representatives of the crypto speech firm.

Consequently, the justice deemed Gambaryan’s refusal to admit the charges connected Binance’s behalf arsenic unlawful.

The justice further rejected Gambaryan’s lawyer’s entreaty to detain him nether the prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The justice reportedly ruled that Gambaryan’ should beryllium held astatine Kuje due to the fact that determination “have been Nigerians who had been convicted successful the US and were detained successful their prisons.”

The station Nigerian tribunal orders Binance enforcement to stay successful situation contempt not blameworthy plea appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.