Court Orders Arrest Of Kuje Doctor Over Failure To Provide Binance Executive’s Medical Report

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered a bench (arrest) warrant for Abraham Ehizojie, a medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional Centre health facility, over his non-compliance to provide the medical report of Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan.

This arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday by Justice Emeka Nwite on the non-compliance of the doctor to show up in court as ordered to produce the medical report.

Recall that on July 5, Justice Nwite ordered the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) management to release Gambaryan’s medical certificate on or before July 16 (today).

Justice Nwite gave the order after granting the prayer of Gambaryan’s lawyer, Mark Mordi, SAN, to summon the doctor and explain to the court why he refused to make his client’s medical report available despite an earlier court order.

This is relative to the collapse of Gambaryan at the court on May 23, 2024, over alleged ill-health.

The defence counsel had also raised alarms that Binance’s Gambaryan might die in Kuje Correctional Centre over his deteriorating health.

Upon failure to provide the medical report to ascertain his client’s health status, Mordi prayed to the court to issue an arrest warrant for Ehizojie while he cited the back pain his client had.

After listening to the counsel’s prayers, Justice Nwite said it was unfortunate that a government institution would treat a court order with levity.

I hereby make an order of bench warrant on the medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional Service to appear before this court,” he said.

He also ordered that Gambaryan be taken to the Nizamiye Hospital for Medicare for 24 hours, at any time of his choice, but under complete security surveillance.

The judge adjourned the matter until 11 and 18 of October for the continuation of trial on the alleged violation of Section 21 (a) and Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Essentially, Binance, the cryptocurrency firm, Gambaryan and the fleeing Nadeem Anjarwalla were accused by the Nigerian government of allegedly conspiring amongst themselves to conceal the origin of the financial proceeds of their alleged unlawful activities in Nigeria, amounting to $35,400,000.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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