Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed May 17 to determine whether Detained Binance Holdings Limited Personnel, Tigran Gambaryan, should be released on bail, pending the determination of the money laundering charge against him.
Justice adjourned the ruling after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, requested that he remain at Kuje Prison following reliable intelligence that the defendant planned to escape from custody and flee the country like his colleague.
It told the court that the defendant had attempted to secure a brand new international passport from the embassy of the United States of America.
EFCC further alleged that the defendant is an Armenian citizen by birth, saying there was a clear danger that he would jump bail if released from custody.
Gambaryan’s Counsel, Mark Mordi, SAN, however argued that the prosecution failed to place any evidence before the court to establish that his client posed a flight risk.
“This is purely a state-sanctioned hostage-taking,” the defence counsel added.
He, therefore, prayed the court to grant the defendant bail and stipulate conditions that would ensure his attendance at his trial.
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