A Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Head of the Legal Services Department to appear with specific documents as the money laundering trial against Binance Holdings Limited and its executives continues. The court has set a new date of Monday, September 2, for the proceedings.
Previously, Justice Emeka Nwite had adjourned the case until October 11. However, following a request from the defence counsel, the court agreed to bring the trial date forward by over a month.
The charges, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accuse Binance USA’s Head of Financial Crime Compliance, Tigran Gambaryan, and the exchange’s British-Kenyan regional manager for Africa, Nadeem Anjarwalla, of laundering $35 million. Gambaryan remains detained at Kuje Correctional Facility after being transferred from the custody of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), while Anjarwalla escaped lawful custody on March 22, 2024.
The summons, issued under a Subpoena Duces Tecum with charge number FHC/ABCR/138/2024, requires the presence of the CBN officials at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The court’s directive specifically names the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Head of the Legal Services Department, asking them to produce a “Certified True Copy of the Excel spreadsheet captioned ‘Export Exchange Rate Results’ published on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s website for the period from 1 June 2024 to 16 August 2024.”
The documents are essential to the ongoing investigation and trial, which has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of high-profile figures and a prominent global cryptocurrency exchange. As the trial resumes, all eyes will be on the proceedings and the documents that the CBN officials are required to provide.
