The arraignment of Tigran Gambaryan, an official of Binance Holdings Limited, on money laundering charges has been postponed until April 8th. The Federal High Court Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, delayed proceedings after arguments erupted regarding how charges were served on Binance itself.
Gambaryan and Binance Holdings Limited were scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday. However, Mark Mordi, representing Gambaryan, objected. Mordi argued that the arraignment couldn’t proceed because the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to properly serve the charges on Binance Holdings Limited. He emphasized that Gambaryan doesn’t hold an official representative position within the company in Nigeria and therefore cannot be served on their behalf.
The EFCC’s lawyer, E.E. Iheanacho, countered this argument. Iheanacho claimed that while Gambaryan may not be a formal representative, he functions as a de facto representative of Binance within Nigeria. Iheanacho further stated that the charges were served on Gambaryan for the company, though this service was rejected. Iheanacho urged the court to enter a not-guilty plea for Binance and proceed with the case.
Justice Nwite will issue a ruling on April 8th to determine how to proceed with the case given the dispute over service of charges. This development highlights the increasing scrutiny cryptocurrency platforms face in Nigeria.
More details to come
