EFCC also argued it has uncovered an alleged plot by Gambaryan to obtain a new passport to facilitate his escape from Nigeria
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), has told a Federal High Court in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) not to grant bail application of detained Binance Holdings Limited executive, Tigran Gambaryan, arguing he is a flight risk.
EFCC made the argument on Tuesday, while addressing Justice Emeka Nwite, saying Gambaryan will escape from the country if he is granted bail.
TheNiche had earlier reported that the Nigeria anti-graft agency is prosecuting Gambaryan, his fleeing colleague, Anjarwalla, and their company, Binance Holdings Limited for money laundering.
The financial crime commission charged them for concealing the source of the $35,400 000 generated as revenue by Binance in Nigeria, knowing that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activity.
When the case resumed yesterday, EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Emeka Iheanacho, narrated how Gambaryan’s co-defendant, Nadeem Anjarwalla, escaped from the custody of the National Security Adviser.
He went on to stress that it would be risky to grant the defendant bail, knowing how his co-defendant escaped.
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Iheanacho further told the judge that the anti-graft agency uncovered an alleged plot by Gambaryan to obtain a new passport to facilitate his escape from Nigeria after the EFCC had seized his passport.
He said: “This defendant attempted to procure another travelling document even when he knew his passport was in the state’s custody. He pretended as if the said passport was stolen.
“This court will take a grave risk to grant the defendant bail. This is also because he has no attachment to any community in Nigeria.
“The experience we have had with the man who escaped to Kenya while his United Kingdom passport is in Nigeria will certainly repeat itself if this defendant is granted bail.
“The 1st defendant (Binance) is operating virtually. The only thing we have to hold on to is this defendant. So, we pray, My Lord, to refuse bail to the defendant.”
Prior to this, while moving Gambaryan’s bail application, his lawyer, Mark Mordi (SAN), described his continued detention as “purely a state-sanctioned hostage taking,” saying EFCC was holding his client as leverage to obtain information from his employer.
