JUSTICE Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the apprehension of the Medical Doctor at the Kuje Correctional Centre’s health facility, Dr. Abraham Ehizojie, due to an alleged refusal to present the medical report of Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Ltd under detention.
The warrant was granted today in response to a plea by Gambaryan’s legal representative, Mark Mordi, during which Gambaryan arrived at the court in a wheelchair.
Gambaryan and the cryptocurrency firm are both facing money laundering charges brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Nwite had previously directed the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) management to provide Gambaryan’s medical certificate by July 16, following a request by Mordi.
Mordi had requested the court to summon Dr. Ehizojie to clarify the reason for not releasing his client’s medical report despite a prior court instruction.
Gambaryan had reportedly collapsed in court on May 23 due to health issues.
Mordi informed the court during the recent hearing, that the doctor had not complied with the order.
In response, the judge inquired about the situation from a prison official who transported Gambaryan to court .
The official stated that he had delivered the court order to the doctor on July 9, 2024.
The EFCC counsel expressed surprise that the medical officer was not present in court.
Following the submissions, Nwite declared a bench warrant for the medical officer at the correctional facility to appear in court on the next hearing date.
He also ordered Gambaryan to be taken to Nizamiye Hospital for medical care under full security surveillance for 24 hours at a time of his choosing.
The trial was adjourned until October 11 and October 18 for further proceedings.
Earlier, Dr Olubukola Akinwunmi, Head, Payment Policy and Regulation Division at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), gave evidence and was cross-examined by Babatunde Fagbohunlu, SAN, counsel for Binance, the first defendant in the criminal charge.
