The detained Binance Holdings Limited’s executive, Tigran Gambaryan, was brought to the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in a wheelchair on Tuesday.
Mr Gambaryan, dressed in a black T-shirt and blue jeans trousers, is facing a money laundering charge alongside the cryptocurrency firm.
When the matter was called, Gambaryan stood up from the wheelchair and walked slowly into the dock.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s lawyer, Ogechi Ujam, told the court that though the matter was scheduled for continuation of trial, the commission’s lead counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, was not in court.
Mr Ujam prayed that the court to stand down the matter to enable Mr Iheanacho to conduct the trial.
Babatunde Fagbohunlu, who appeared for Binance (first defendant) and Mark Mordi, who represented Mr Gambaryan, did not oppose the application.
Justice Emeka Nwite stepped down the matter until 12:00 p.m.
Justice Nwite had, on July 5, ordered the management of the Nigerian Correctional Service to release Mr Gambaryan’s medical certificate on or before July 16.
The judge gave the order following an application by Mr Gambaryan’s lawyer.
Mr Mordi had prayed the court to summon the medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional Centre’s health facility to explain why he allegedly refused to make his client’s medical report available despite an earlier court order.
Mr Gambaryan had, on May 23, collapsed in the open court over alleged ill health.
The defence law firm, Aluko & Oyebode, had also, on May 27, raised the alarm that the cryptocurrency firm’s executive might die in Kuje prison over his alleged deteriorating health.
(NAN)
