The minister expressed confidence in the case against Binance, citing the evidence gathered. The next court hearing is scheduled for June 20, 2024, with Binance given the opportunity to defend itself. The charges against Binance were labeled as “severe” financial crimes. However, on June 4, 12 U.S. politicians raised concerns about Gambaryan being “wrongfully detained” by the Nigerian government.
They claimed that the charges were an attempt to extort Binance. They also alleged that Gambarayan had been denied meetings with his legal counsel without the presence of armed guards or other Nigerian authorities. The Minister of Information refuted these claims, stating that Binance had received consular access and that all standard diplomatic protocols were followed as per the rule of law. It was revealed that another Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, had escaped Nigerian custody in March and is currently the subject of an Interpol Red notice.
Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) attorneys claimed that constitutional provisions allowed the prosecution of company executives. Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen, and Anjarwalla were arrested in February on charges of money laundering and tax evasion. The letter from the U.S. politicians raised concerns about Gamabaryan’s health, stating that he had contracted malaria. It also mentioned that a court order to provide him with proper medical care had not been followed.
At the time of publication, the White House had not made an official response.
