Detained Binance Executive Tigran Gambaryan Awaits Bail Ruling in Nigerian Court
Detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan is facing uncertainty as he waits to find out if he will be granted bail by a Nigerian court. The presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, was absent from his scheduled hearing on Wednesday as he chose to attend a legal seminar at the National Judicial Institute instead of presiding over the case at the Abuja Federal High Court.
This unexpected turn of events has led to the rescheduling of Gambaryan’s bail ruling, which is now set to take place on Friday. Gambaryan, who serves as a compliance officer at Binance, has been in prison since February of this year. His previous bail ruling was deferred by Judge Nwite last month, adding to the uncertainty surrounding his case.
In February, Gambaryan was arrested and charged with money laundering along with his colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla. However, Anjarwalla managed to escape from the guest house where they were staying after being taken to a mosque to pray. This left Gambaryan to face the legal consequences on his own.
His lawyers have raised concerns about his deteriorating health during his time in detention, citing negligent treatment by prison officers. A video surfaced last month showing Gambaryan pleading for a wheelchair and expressing pain while walking to a court hearing.
On the other hand, state prosecutors have argued against granting him bail, accusing Gambaryan of exaggerating his illness and refusing medical treatment. Despite this, the United States has been advocating for his release, with officials from the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs working to secure consular access to check on his well-being.
As the saga continues, Gambaryan remains in limbo, awaiting the outcome of his bail ruling and hoping for a resolution to his legal predicament.